Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus and Blackburn with Darwen Council are supporting Alcohol Awareness Week with a series of activities designed to highlight the dangers of excessive alcohol use.
The week runs from October 18-23 and is themed around 'Alcohol and Childhood' including the issue of alcohol use by young people and the impact on children of parental drinking.
The focus will be on three key areas around minimising harm caused by excessive drinking, reducing the risk to children and protecting them from alcohol marketing.
A thorough programme of events and initiatives are planned in the borough all designed to promote responsible drinking.
Events include free health checks and information about alcohol issues at Darwen Market Square on October 23 (10.30-4pm) and the launch of the Safe Night Out winter campaign.
Lifeline will raise awareness in schools, provide outreach sessions and drop ins around the borough - in partnership with Groundworks and Brook – as well as promoting alcohol awareness on the ‘Got It Covered’ bus in both Blackburn and Darwen during the evenings of October 22 and 24.
The week long drive will also tie in with Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Stay Safe Week with education sessions about Alcohol and drug use in the Mall, in partnership with Brook.
Dominic Harrison, director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus, said: "Alcohol Awareness Week provides an ideal opportunity for people to find out about the harms of alcohol misuse. The programme of events is designed to promote the benefits of sensible drinking leading people to hopefully reassess their own drinking habits and gain an understanding of how drinking can affect themselves and their children.
"It’s also designed to educate people into keeping track of their own drinking. We’re encouraging people to keep a diary during the week to keep track of how many units they’re drinking."
