Charity has killer drug in its sights
CHARLOTTE GREEN
ANEW charity foundation has set tackling the borough’s ‘cocaine epidemic’ as its top priority.
Brothers Josh and Jake Allen have set up the Walmsley Foundation, in memory of their grandfather, councillor Brian Walmsley, and intend to tackle issues affecting residents in Hyndburn.
Under the banner of the ‘Hyndburn Action Group’, the pair want to work with organisations, such as Red Rose Recovery, Inspire, as well as the local council and police force, to form a concerted effort against rising cocaine use after the Accrington Observer’s campaign revealed the high numbers of young people dying from the drug.
Josh, 23, said: “Our idea is to hold a community campaign with everyone possible to bring awareness that there is help for cocaine users and addicts.
“We want to highlight what it’s doing to people’s lives, and how it’s affecting their families.
“There has been a massive influx into the borough, it’s becoming so cheap and accessible for people.
“I know people can order cocaine like it’s an app, with dealers doing ‘special offers’.”
He added: “For us the issue has been crystallised by what the Observer’s reported happening over the last few months, with all the people dying.
“We want to do something to tackle it and we think the only way to defeat this epidemic is as a community.”
Josh said he is in contact with ‘The Loop’, an organisation that runs pop-up drug testing and hopes to get them out in Accrington during the Bank Holiday weekend.
He said: “People need to see what it is they are actually taking.
“I think we have to use more shock tactics to get people to understand the effects.”
The realities of the lethal drug are close to home for care assistant Jake, from Accrington, after he lost a close friend to an overdose last year.
The 22-year-old said: “He knew he had a problem and he asked for help, but he didn’t get what he needed and carried on and this drug took him.
“I knew him all my life, he was more like a brother than a friend so it was very hard.
“It’s left a lasting impression on me, people don’t take cocaine seriously enough they always think it’s just a bit of fun.
“They don’t think about what can happen.”
The Foundation is currently applying to the Charity Commission for official charity status.