£2 million funding for alcohol projects with pics
Two Derry groups have been awarded almost £2 million by the Big Lottery Fund to help tackle the growing problems of binge drinking and alcohol addiction.
The Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum and Foyle Haven have been awarded grants totalling 1,909,974 under the Safe and Well programme to help them address the effects of alcohol on some of the city's most disadvantaged and vulnerable people.
They are two of eighteen groups across Northern Ireland sharing in almost 16 million of funding.
The Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum have been awarded one of the biggest grants of 1 million to develop the Neighbourhood Alcohol Safety Partnership (NASP) project.
The partnership, which includes a wide range of organisations including local bar and off license owners, will use the grant to promote the safe sale and consumption of alcohol.
They will work with community groups and health agencies across the city to tackle problems related to alcohol consumption, and will run a series of preventative programmes to promote responsible drinking.
Manager Tony Doherty said: "Prolonged drinking and binge drinking have become more common than ever in the city. Alcohol causes major damage to the social fabric, has a close link to domestic violence and suicide and is generally considered to be a situation that is out of control. We hope to develop education and training programmes highlighting the physical, mental, domestic and community damage caused by alcohol abuse.
"Alcohol accompanies us from the cradle to the grave and its increasing use is a matter of serious concern for those working in public health. The average age of young boys and girls drinking is now 11-12 years."
The Foyle Haven Centre will use their grant of 909,974 to develop the Safe From Harm project which will extend existing opening hours to seven days a week and provide vital support to Derry's street drinkers.
The Lottery cash will be used to provide a safe place for street drinkers to be and to use food, laundry and shower facilities. It will also deliver programmes in partnership with the Men's Action Network to address issues such as healthy eating and anger management.
Project Manager Darren McPartland said the project would help reduce the high levels of assaults and crime against street drinkers in the city. "Recent figures from lead partner the PSNI have revealed that in one year there were 158 reported incidents of violent crime in the John Street area, and 155 of these were crimes against street drinkers,"
said Darren.
"So this project will make a major difference in improving the safety and health of our clients. It will also go towards reducing crime in the John Street area as well as across the city.
"Our project will act as a hub for street drinkers who can use our facilities up until 10pm at night. Then we can, if necessary, direct them to one of the residences that have been set up as part of the Get Your Head Down initiative."
He said the grant is a "major boost and recognition of the important work we are doing by allowing us to develop and extend the support we can offer."
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A street drinker's story
James McCallion is now a member of staff with Foyle Haven Centre. However, the 42-year-old father of five was a street drinker for 14 years. He has been in recovery for eight years and credits the centre with saving his life.
James now devotes his time to helping the men and women that he used to drink with.
"I always enjoyed a drink, maybe too much," he explained. "Then I got a lot of money through a compensation claim and I drank it all away. The only way I could continue to drink that way was on the streets. I begged, stole and borrowed to get drink and I did that for 14 years."
James said he recognised he had a problem but couldn't do anything about it, even though 'it must have been terrible for my children to see their father lying drunk on the street.'
"The only friend I had was the bottle and I would have gone off with anyone who had alcohol. I was putting myself at risk and was kicked, punched and abused over the years but it didn't make any difference.
"I was one of the lucky ones because my mother always gave me a bed for the night but I saw friends dying because of drink over the years. No-one wants to become a street drinker - alcohol addiction affects us all in different ways."
James came to a turning point in his life after he made a a deal with God that if the drink didn't kill him he would begin his recovery.
"So far so good. I haven't had a drink in eight years and started volunteering with Foyle Haven seven years ago. Foyle Haven saved my life and I believe that this project will save the lives of many others."
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Weather for Derry
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 9 C to 12 C
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