Emmett Lynch and Adrian Loughrey from Time 2 Change Community Mobilisation Project speaks to Minster for Health, Edwin Poots at the launch of the Western Regional Alcohol Prevention Programme
AN APPROACH to tackle alcohol misuse in the county is taking a further step with a conference aimed at taking a community-wide conference on the issue about to take place.
The ‘Time2Change’ project has been ongoing in the area since December 2012 and has over eight community sites supported across the county.
The aim of the project is about reducing alcohol related harm and challenging the culture of the normalisation of alcohol misuse in the community.
Emmett Lynch, community alcohol mobilisation officer with the project, described Fermanagh as a ‘great’ county – but said that ‘like each county in Ireland we have a strong desire and connection with alcohol’.
“The project is Fermanagh focused and is determined to support local communities, increase support to families and reduce alcohol related harm across the county.
“In some parts of Fermanagh it can be difficult to develop a community approach to tackling alcohol related harm as there is a strong stigma associated with alcohol,” Emmett explained.
“However Fermanagh as a whole has been very welcoming and each community we have meet have been supportive and keen on increasing the levels of support to their local families. There are some great projects that have helped such as Solace, Oak healthy living centre, Arc healthy living centre, Action for Children and the PSNI to name but a few.”
Emmett noted that 300 people last year went to A&E in Fermanagh with alcohol-related harms ranging from road traffic accidents, assaults, domestic violence, alcohol intoxication, broken bones, bruised bodies and head injuries.
“When the figures were analysed further it showed that the majority of these people worked from Monday to Friday and were not dependant drinkers. The conference aims to highlight this issue and re-focus are attention on the issue that ‘responsible alcohol consumption’ is everyone’s business.”
The conference, entitled ‘Challenging Culture, Changing Behaviours – Alcohol Action in Fermanagh’ takes place on Tuesday April 8, in the Killyhevlin Hotel from 9.20am until 12.45.
Emmett concluded: “The aim is to develop a co-ordinated community approach that brings together both community and voluntary sectors and statutory services in a joint effort to increase support to families and decrease the role alcohol plays in the local community.”
To register for the event, contact Emmett emmett@derryhc.com by March 31.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere