A new Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) highlighting the risks of underage drinking to children and young people is launching in Tadley. The official launch took place on Monday 2 November 2026

‍CAPs are partnerships between police, local authorities, schools, and retailers who work together to highlight the risks of underage drinking and improve the health and wellbeing of local children and young people.  Partners in the new CAP include:   The Hurst School, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Police.

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The CAP in Tadley will work to educate young people about underage drinking and help them to make better decisions about issues such as alcohol, drugs and anti-social behaviour.   

Working with local retailers, the CAP also aims to prevent underage sales and ‘proxy’ sales, where adults buy alcohol for under-18s.     

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It will do this in three ways:

• By working with schools and youth groups, the partnership will educate young people about the dangers of underage drinking and equip them to make responsible choices regarding alcohol, drugs, and anti-social behaviour.

• By working closely with local retailers to enforce regulations and prevent the illegal sale of alcohol to minors. This includes stopping illegal “proxy sales” where adults purchase alcohol for individuals under 18, and ensuring all retailers comply with the Challenge 25 policy

• By providing positive and engaging activities for young people, offering them safe, supervised environments to socialise. These activities are a crucial part of the CAP strategy, providing an excellent opportunity to deliver alcohol education in an informal setting.

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The impact of CAPs has been measured and proven. Nationwide, partnerships have led to reductions in regular drinking among 13-16-year-olds and in alcohol-related anti-social behaviour. 

Cabinet Member for Communities, Partnerships and Inclusion Cllr John McKay said: “We welcome the launch of this partnership in Tadley, giving us a new opportunity to work with and help improve the health and wellbeing of young people. It is important for people to be aware of the dangers of alcohol misuse, and I am pleased that this new partnership will help encourage safer alcohol use among young people.”

 Kate Winstanley, Director of CAP said: “We know from extensive research that underage drinking can lead to lots of challenges for young people in their education, relationships, health and increased risk of alcohol-related harm in later life.  CAP has proved to be a successful model for tackling underage drinking and just as importantly promoting positive health and wellbeing in children and young people. Our evidence shows that CAPs are extremely effective in reducing the supply of alcohol to children, underage alcohol consumption and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour. 

“That’s why it’s great to see local partners coming together in Tadley to highlight the risks of underage drinking and reduce alcohol harm among local children and young people.”   

She continued: “We are looking forward to seeing the initiatives that the CAP is working on and to making a positive difference to the local community.” 

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