PS kids awarded for alcohol awareness

SCHOOLCHILDREN from five North West primaries were given awards last week by a local charity who aim to prevent young people taking alcohol and drugs.

Hope North West are a local charity who aim to prevent drug and alcohol abuse in young people through education. Roy Warke is an education officer with the Christian charity, who take the somewhat unique approach of targeting children of Primary School age, before they are old enough to be exposed to alcohol and drug environments.

Speaking ahead of the awards ceremony, Mr Warke told the Sentinel about the event, and about the work carried out by the Christian charity. He said: “The event at the White Horse Hotel is our annual awards ceremony. Children from the five primary schools will be doing presentations on drugs and alcohol and the dangers involved.

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“The winning presentations will be announced on the night, although all of the pupils there are already finalists so they have achieved a great deal already. The five schools will be from all over the North West, such as St Finlough’s Primary School, Sistrakeel in Ballykelly and Drumhaoe Primary School.

“Hope North West is a local Christian based charity working at preventing drug and alcohol abuse in young people. We are the only organisation working to reach the problem before the problem reaches the kids. That is why we target children at such a young age, when they will hopefully be more receptive to our message.

“If we can get them equipped with the info they will need to face the drug and alcohol problems some people encounter in their teenage years to them before they reach that stage, they will be in a much better position to develop the coping skills that they need to avoid smoking, drinking and taking drugs.”