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Drugs awareness cards for parents
THE Free Press has joined forces with Bridlington's Rotary Club in a pioneering drug awareness campaign.
As part of the Free Press Building A Better Brid campaign, 5,500 information cards have been produced outlining the risks and symptoms of drug-taking.
The cards are being given to parents of more than 5,000 school pupils as part of the effort to keep local children clean from drugs.
Drugs and alcohol have been listed among the Building A Better Brid campaign's seven social sins and it is hoped the cards will help to hammer home the dangers of getting involved with drugs.
Free Press editor Nick Procter said: "We don't want to alarm parents but being forewarned is being forearmed.
"The cards provide information about what drugs look like, what the symptoms of taking them are and the potential dangers. They also include emergency numbers and contact information for organisations which can help affected families.
"It would be fantastic if parents and youngsters were never to need these cards but unfortunately – despite recent police successes – there are drugs in the town and children are at risk.
"If these cards stop just one person dabbling in drugs then the project will be a success because drugs can ruin lives."
He urged parents and pupils to keep the cards handy.
"Guidance from this card could be the first step you need to help support members of your family or friends," Mr Procter said.
The production of the cards has been supported by local businesses and the cards are being distributed to every primary and secondary school in the area by the Rotary Club of Bridlington.
Club president Roy Thompson said: "Any responsible organisation or parent must be concerned about the effect of drugs in our society and this initiative, aimed at the parents of schoolchildren, fits in nicely with the Free Press Building a Better Brid campaign.
"We hope every household with schoolchildren will receive this information and that it makes Bridlington a better place in which to live.
"This information will be of benefit to parents and the young people in our community and we hope that everyone will see the benefit."
The idea for the local cards was the brainchild of Barry Wass, chairman of the Rotary Club's vocational service committee, who said he said he was delighted with the result.
The cards have information about various illegal drugs as well as alcohol, solvents and other legal substances which can be addictive and dangerous.
Barry Davies, headteacher at Bridlington School, said: "Anything that can be done to inform students of the dangers of drugs must be a good idea.
"The leaflet is sensible rather than sensational and gives some very down-to-earth information about drugs."
Headlands School headteacher Dr Steve Rogers said the cards were a "wonderful contribution to the key issue of tackling substance misuse".
Cards will also be available at Bridlington Central Library and the Bridlington Free Press office.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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