Guernsey Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council director Dave Newman and Drug and Alcohol Strategy coordinator Andrea Nightingale at yesterday’s conference at the Peninsula Hotel. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0679031)
THE impact of alcohol on the community was the topic of a conference at the Peninsula Hotel yesterday.
More than 100 people including police, teachers, youth workers, church representatives, counsellors and medical professionals attended the event.
The Guernsey Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council staged the event in conjunction with the Bailiwick Drug and Alcohol Strategy to coincide with Drug and Alcohol Awareness month.
‘We wanted to get a cross section of people because we wanted thoughts and ideas on the various topics featured in the workshops,’ said Gadac director David Newman.
Guest speakers spoke on three subjects during the morning – alcohol and domestic abuse, alcohol and the young and drink-driving.
Workshops were held on each during the afternoon and the latest Alcoholics Anonymous DVD, Who, me?, which is directed at young people, was also shown.
Teacher Gillian Brett said Dr Michael Shiner’s talk on alcohol, young people and the regulation of the night-time economy had been highly beneficial.
‘He was promoting the culture of safe and sensible drinking, which is something we don’t have here any more,’ she said.
‘Particularly as a mother, I found it most interesting.’
Her colleague, Linda Armsted, agreed and said Dr Shiner had talked about how children needed to be shown what sensible drinking was.
‘If they come from a family where there is excessive drinking, it’s a bad example and if they come from an alcohol-free house, they have no example to follow,’ she said. ‘There is also the thrill-seeking and rebellion thing.’
Val Guilbert of Shiloh Church works with young mothers and children and she is a listener on the church counselling team.
‘Our new pastor is the prison chaplain and we hope to be getting people from that environment into the church,’ she said.
‘I have come today to see how I can help them. It’s been of great benefit as we have learned how alcohol and drugs are only an outer cover of the pain inside a person.’
Drug and Alcohol Strategy coordinator Andrea Nightingale said the event had been a great success.
‘From the number of delegates here, it is clear that something like this was needed and wanted,’ she said.
Article posted on 29th November, 2008 - 9.29am
3 Article Comments
If Parents ,police.school teachers,and other adults want their children to understand the dangers of booze …lead by example and stop drinking it themselves,you cannot tell kids that booze can be bad if they drink it themselves can you ? .No wonder kids rebel when adults tell them whats bad for them and then do exactly the opposite.
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teach children sensible drinking and then the press has a voucher to get a beer for 99p….
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Our children need educating thats for sure. Alchocol is a start but stopping children having children would go some way to making any real impact!
I don’t even want to mention drugs cos this is an escape that most will argue untill they are blue in the face!
The fact of the matter here is that we are failing across the board and wish to highlight something to mitigate our failings? Actions speak louder than words!
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