ArcAngel
Four Co-operative stores in Cheshire have been taking part in a pilot study aimed at applying a three pronged approach to tackling alcohol and antisocial behaviour.
"ArcAngel Community Cooperation" aims to bring together the retail/business sector, partner agencies (police, youth workers, Connexions and local housing trusts) and the community. This is the first pilot scheme in Cheshire to bring together the people selling alcohol, young people who are buying and abusing alcohol, and those involved in dealing with the effects of alcohol in the community.
The three areas piloting the scheme are Chester, Weaverham and Culcheth
The stores in those areas each have ArcAngel Community Co-operation branded point of sale material and staff have been trained on the ArcAngel standards based approach to pass on to their customers. Some shops have also removed alcohol identified as being popular among underage drinkers.
The unique partnership with cheshire police and other key partners has also lead to the co-operative taking the lead in providing diversionary actvities for young people in the community who are more likely to be involved in incidents of anti social behaviour and underage drinking. One such scheme, in Weaverham, was Community Co-operation. Young people involved in the a Community Co-operation scheme designed, printed and delivered Christmas cards to elderly people in their community. The scheme took several months to come to fruition and involved Profile a local PR Agency in assisting the youngsters in producing the design and Thinkprint of Northwich who printed the cards on their behalf.
The scheme and has kept the youngsters off the streets during this time. Several of the young people involved in the deisgn and production of the cards personally delivered the cards to residents at Gleavewood.
It is too early to tell how successful the project is. However, residents views have been sought at this is early stage to find out what people currently think about underage drinking in their area. http://www.arcangel.uk.net/