Alcohol Help

A coalition of national Churches and charities has written to the Prime Minister asking him to introduce a minimum unit price on all alcohol sold in Britain when the Government’s alcohol strategy is announced later this month.

David Cameron has indicated that he may be willing to introduce a minimum price of 40 – 50 pence per unit on alcohol, but the group is worried that these plans may be dropped under pressure from the drinks industry.

The group is also encouraging individuals to write to their MPs, highlighting the problems caused by cheap alcohol in their local area and asking them to support per unit minimum pricing. A range of resources for the ‘Measure for Measure’ campaign are available online here.

A survey conducted in December last year revealed that 61% of UK adults believe that excessive drinking is a problem (from minor to major) in their neighbourhood. The survey commissioned by the Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and Baptist Union of Great Britain asked people to judge the effects of alcohol on the area within walking distance from their home, or where they use local facilities. More information can be found here.

The full text of the letter follows:

Dear Prime Minister,

We write to you as a coalition of Churches, charities and Christian volunteer groups with long-running experience in the field of alcohol policy, and in helping individuals and communities harmed by alcohol misuse.

We welcome recent indications that, in recognition of the danger posed by cheap alcohol, the Government is seriously considering the introduction of a per unit minimum price. We believe that action on pricing must form the central element in the Alcohol Strategy which your Government is due to publish in February. There are various factors involved in problem drinking, but numerous studies have shown that price is the key determinant. Unless you include strong action on per unit pricing, other measures such as a ban on below-cost sales, a special tax on strong beers or a voluntary code for advertising are likely to be inadequate.

We recognise that there may be complex legal issues involving competition law. But current levels of ill health and public disorder associated with problem drinking mean that these issues must be addressed. In 2011, leading medical experts including Sir Ian Gilmore (Chairman of the UK Alcohol Health Alliance) and Andrew Langford (Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust), predicted that unless strong action is taken 250,000 lives could be lost over the next 20 years. They specifically advocate introducing a minimum unit price of 50p and implementing stricter controls on advertising. Alcohol misuse costs the UK an estimated £25 billion per year in public spending, without even considering the serious (but harder to measure) effects on people’s wellbeing, including their mental health, family and social relationships and careers.

A YouGov poll commissioned by the Methodist Church and its partners in November 2011 found that 61% of UK adults felt that excessive drinking was a problem in their neighbourhood. We have seen the effects of cheap, strong drink on our streets, in our hospitals and police stations. It is in local communities that the damage caused by alcohol misuse is felt most deeply, particularly disadvantaged communities, which continue to suffer disproportionately from alcohol-related harms.

Furthermore, it is estimated that between 1.3 and 2.6 million children are affected by parental problem drinking. Neglect is a particular concern and these children are more vulnerable to developing other problems, including substance misuse. A joined-up national solution for these issues is clearly in the UK’s best interests as a whole.

Some are concerned that per unit minimum pricing would penalise responsible drinkers. But research by the University of Sheffield found that a minimum price of between 40p and 50p per unit would save thousands of lives at the cost of only a few extra pence per week to the average drinker.

Legislation containing provisions for per unit minimum pricing will soon be considered by the Scottish Parliament. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are developing a cross-border alcohol strategy and working towards the possibility of agreeing a minimum price by December 2012. We are very encouraged by reports that you have taken a lead on per unit minimum pricing, as this is central to ensuring the success of the Alcohol Strategy. This is an opportunity for the Government to make a real difference to communities and vulnerable people across the UK.

Yours sincerely,

Revd Lionel E. Osborn
President of the Methodist Conference, Methodist Church in Britain

Mr Paul Blakey MBE
Founder of Street Angels, CNI Network

Helena Chambers,
Director, Quaker Action on Alcohol and Drugs

Revd Jonathan Edwards
General Secretary, Baptist Union of Great Britain

Philip Fletcher
Chair, Mission & Public Affairs, Church of England

Dr Dave Landrum
Director of Advocacy, Evangelical Alliance

Adam May
Director of Development, Street Angels, CNI Network

Revd Dr Kirsty Thorpe
Moderator of the General Assembly, United Reformed Church

Helen Donohoe
Director of Public Policy, Action for Children

Baptist Union of Great Britain
Baptist House, PO BOX 44, 129 Broadway
Didcot, OX11 8RT, England

Telephone: 01235 517700

There has been an increase in the number arrests for drink driving over the Christmas period.

Between Thursday 1 December to Tuesday 27 December, 258 people were arrested on suspicion of drink driving (up 12 per cent on 230 in the same period last year)

103 were from Berkshire
88 were from Buckinghamshire
67 were from Oxfordshire
210 were men
48 were women
The average age was 36 years old

The number of women arrested has increased by 55 per cent (from 31 to 48), whereas the number of men arrested has increased by 5 per cent (from 199 to 210).

Inspector Colin Clark, leading the Thames Valley Police drink drive campaign, said: “It is very disappointing that drivers are still failing to heed the message that drinking and driving can cause death and serious injury.

“We will be carrying out random drink driving checks across the Thames Valley over the festive season. If you test positive, you face losing your licence for at least 12 months, a fine of up to £5,000 and even a prison sentence.

“The message is simple – If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive. It’s not worth the risk.”

Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary launched their Christmas anti-drink and drug drive campaign on 1 December. It will run until Sunday 1 January 2012, and is part of a national crackdown, supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The campaign aims to convince all drivers that a drink drive conviction has the potential to ruin their life by highlighting the consequences of drink driving.

Thames Valley Police
Headquarters
Oxford Road
Kidlington
Oxfordshire
OX5 2NX

Alcohol misuse by young people in the UK is amongst the highest in Europe. Despite some signs that overall levels are falling, the amount of alcohol consumed by those who drink remains high. D Foxcroft web image

Alongside advocating regulatory mechanisms such as minimum alcohol unit pricing, health professionals have tried to develop new educational interventions to support those young people who decide not to drink and to try and reduce alcohol-related harms in those that decide to drink. However, research evidence from the UK is limited and there is a clear need to find out what works in this age group.

The School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme (SHAHRP) is a classroom based intervention delivered by teachers. Although originally developed in Australia it was recently adapted for delivery in Northern Ireland by local health educators.

Pilot evaluation research showed that it was effective in reducing the amount drunk by young people, increased alcohol related knowledge and healthier attitudes to alcohol, and reduced the amount of harm young people experienced from their own and others’ drinking.

A team led by Professor David Foxcroft, Professor of Community Psychology and Public Health at Oxford Brookes University and Dr Harry Sumnall from Liverpool John Moores University have now been awarded £1 million by the NHS National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research Programme to undertake a Randomised Control Trial of the effectiveness of SHAHRP in combination with a parental skills training component.

Professor David Foxcroft, Professor of Community Psychology and Public Health at Oxford Brookes University, said: “Young people in the UK are drinking more than ever, and are starting to drink regularly from a young age, with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing. The STAMPP trial will make an important contribution to the evidence for alcohol education in schools across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. We don’t have much high quality research evidence from the UK so this is a very significant development for alcohol research and alcohol prevention, funded by the National Institute for Health Research.”

Academic collaborators include leading researchers from the University of Liverpool, Queens University Belfast, and the Clinical Research Support Centre in Belfast. The work also benefits from the support of health and educational services in Northern Ireland and Scotland. The work begins in November 2011 and will end in January 2016.

The research project, called STAMPP (SHAHRP and TATI [Talking to Children About Tough Issues] Alcohol Misuse Prevention Programme), will include up to 10,000 pupils in 100 schools based across Northern Ireland and Glasgow. It aims to find out whether the intervention can reduce harmful alcohol use in young people. If shown to be effective, funding will be sought to try and introduce STAMPP into other schools across the UK.

Oxford Brookes University
Headington Campus
Gipsy Lane
Oxford
OX3 0BP
Tel: +44 (0)1865 74 1111

Ley Community, Yarnton
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation

About us:

Over the last thirty years the Ley Community has helped hundreds of people struggling with serious problems of addiction to drugs and alcohol. The Ley has gained a national reputation for assisting the development and rebuilding of lives through a belief that learning to live a full life without drugs and alcohol is best achieved with the help and support of others going through the same process.

No-one should consider applying to come to the Ley Community unless they have made a genuine decision to want to change. The programme is not easy. It is not a soft alternative to prison. No-one could go through the programme without profoundly changing their life, and discovering parts of themselves they never knew existed. People come to the Ley because they want to break out of the cycle of chaos through misusing drugs and alcohol – and it is truly inspirational to witness the changes made once someone commits himself or herself fully to the programme.

The approach can be summarised as a combination of ‘Tough Love’ and ‘Self Help’. The programme provides a framework for residents to learn from each other, and change the way they have behaved, thought and felt over many, many years. This requires a strong commitment to each other that depends on honesty, openness, co-operation and mutual support. Building positive relationships with other residents is central. Ultimately, the programme allows residents a chance to come to terms with themselves, and build up their own self-confidence and self-esteem.

The daily routine is strictly followed. All residents are given responsibilities within a clearly defined structure. As residents progress, the level of responsibility increases with more senior residents supervising the work of junior residents. Work revolves around the running of a large community divided into various departments: kitchens, housekeeping, maintenance, gardens and animals, and administration. Whilst the work provides residents with the opportunity to gain new skills, it is interspersed with a range of regular therapy groups.

Set in beautiful surroundings on the outskirts of Oxford, the Ley Community has developed, since 1971, a unique programme that has been able to help people with very serious problems of addiction recover. The photos in this brochure are deceptive. Whilst the quality of accommodation and facilities is exceptional, the programme itself is very demanding. This is no holiday camp. Many residents arrive after a long period of chaotic living: the Ley Community provides a rigid structure for them to rebuild their lives.

Contact Details:

Ley Community
Sandy Croft
Sandy Lane
Yarnton
Oxfordshire
OX5 1PB

Telephone: 01865 378600