PSCO Laura Thompson and Officer Greg Chapman each received an award for their outstanding contribution at an event at Westminster on June 27.

Over the past year Laura and Greg have been involved in a huge range of events designed to educate young people about the risks of under-age drinking. These include:

• Visiting and supporting licensed premises and focusing on the prevention of underage selling and proxy purchasing
• Organised displays on market stalls to engage with the community and arranged with supermarkets to provide mocktail
• Purchasing a large number of alcohol awareness educational resources  schools and youth clubs

The CAP covers Filey, Eastfield and Hunmanby, Ripon, Scarborough, Richmondshire, Selby, City of York, Whitby and Northallerton.

Greg comments:

“We’re so pleased to win this award. There has always been good partnership working around alcohol based issues in North Yorkshire however the CAPs have made that work more co-ordinated and targeted, ensuring all of our local stakeholders are motivated to combat antisocial behaviour for the good of our residents”

Laura comments: I am honoured to have received this award. This is a job I love and one where I feel I can make a big difference in the communities I serve."

“Seeing tangible results, such as the reduction of anti-social behaviour reports demonstrates just how important the CAPs are in our area.”

About CAP

There are currently over 250 CAP partnerships in England, Scotland and Wales. They bring together local stakeholders with a shared interest in preventing underage drinking and encouraging responsible drinking among young adults. CAP partnerships are made up of retailers, local authorities, police, schools, neighbourhood groups and health providers, working together to protect young people from alcohol harm.

CAP’s annual report, launched at the event, shows how this innovative partnership approach has led to significant reductions to children’s drinking, anti-social behaviour and underage sales in areas where it has created local partnerships.

Nationally, CAP evaluations show:

• 64% reduction in weekly drinking for 13-16 year olds
• After CAP training, 98% of retailers passed a Challenge 25 compliance test – from an average baseline of 52%
• 42% reduction in anti-social behaviour
• 40% reduction in residents reporting children and young people drinking in public places to be a very big or fairly big problem

CAP Director Kate Winstanley says: “I’m delighted that in CAP areas around the country we are seeing such sustained reductions in regular drinking and anti-social behaviour among young people. CAPs are having a significant impact on reducing children’s alcohol consumption, improving their health and wellbeing and enhancing the communities where they live.”

You can download a copy of the annual report here: https://www.communityalcoholpartnerships.co.uk/images/ CAP_Annual_Review_2022-23_-_digitalFINAL.pdf