Burnley Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) wins national award for tackling underage drinking

Burnley CAP received the award for ‘Most Improved Locality’ at an event at Westminster on June 27.

The partnership was launched in 2017 to tackle underage drinking in the local area and was praised at the awards event for its work in reducing youth anti-social behaviour (ASB). In 2022 youth ASB reduced by 63%1 after the CAP focused on a series of initiatives designed to engage with young people and educate them about underage drinking.

One of the initiatives focused on Burnley Market, which was a hotspot for anti-social behaviour as many young people passed through the market after school and college. Since January the CAP has engaged with over 250 young people and a market stall, run by Participation Works has taken over a market stall.

Young people can call in at the stall and access information and guidance on a range of issues including alcohol and substance misuse and activities and services on offer. As an incentive, young people who take part in activities receive a voucher to spend in the market hall.

This is building positive relationships between stall holders and young people and ensuring money is spent in the local economy.

Other initiatives

Workshops in schools covering a range of issues including ASB, mental health and substance misuse

Support and online training for licensed premises on underage drinking and proxy purchasing (where an adult supplies alcohol to a minor)

CAP partners signposting young people to each other’s activities

Lynne Blackburn, Director and Project Manager, Participation Works who received the award said: “The Burnley CAP partnership are really pleased to receive this award and to be recognised for all the project work we have been delivering. The partnership supports hundreds of young people in the Town and the CAP enables us to share best practice and have the opportunity to deliver projects together making the best use of our skills and knowledge”.

About CAP

There are currently over 250 CAPs in the UK. 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 and young people’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.”