CHARTER.. Emmett Lynch and Adrian Loughran of the Time2Change project
NEW MOVES to aid staff selling alcohol in off-licences are being made across the county.
‘Time2Change’, a local alcohol project, has developed a community led project called the ‘Off-Licence Charter’ geared towards promoting the responsible selling of alcohol in off licences here.
The project has been working closely with both community groups and the PSNI in the Fermanagh area to promote this new campaign. This campaign is not anti-alcohol but aims to ‘re-balance and promote a safer way of consuming alcohol’.
It aims to increase the positive reputation of the role off licences can play in the community.
Staff will receive a visible poster showcasing that their store been registered to the charter. Staff and management will receive additional training on alcohol and legislation and each off licence will receive ‘Life Line’ cards, mental health and well-being information that will appear on the store counter.
This approach has been taken, the group said, as there is a clear link with alcohol been a factor in 60% of suicides and self-harm incidents in Fermanagh and Northern Ireland in recent times.
Emmett Lynch from the Time2Change Project said: “The vast majority of local off licences sell alcohol responsibly in their community. They play a key role in a local community as they offer employment and at times can sponsor local sports clubs. The charter is not anti-alcohol. It is a voluntary code that we encourage each off licence in the community to sign and register to. This approach would bring consistency and a positive catalyst for change in relation to alcohol related harm.”
Stuart Beeson, community PSNI Officer, North Fermanagh, added: “The off-licence charter will offer increased support to local families. It will help reduce anti-social behaviour in the community. The PSNI have a good relationship with off licence premises and we encourage any community health initiative that will empower change and promote a more responsible approach to alcohol.”
The Time2Change is a Derry Healthy Cities (DHC) hosted initiative and delivers under the Western Health and Social Care Trust ‘Western Regional Alcohol Prevention Project’. The project is funded by BIG LOTTO Impact of Alcohol Campaign.
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