Students set for lesson on underage drinking

MORE THAN 2,600 students from across Leeds are set to be given a hard-hitting lesson on the risks associated with underage drinking as part of an award-winning international programme.

Secondary school students will watch a play about a group of friends who find themselves in trouble as a result of their misuse of alcohol.

The performance is followed by an interactive workshop where pupils will be invited to question the cast on any of the issues brought up during the play and explore the consequences portrayed by the actors.

The production is part of Smashed, an alcohol education and awareness programme sponsored by global firm Diageo, which has a portfolio of brands including Smirnoff and Guinness, and delivered by Collingwood Learning.

Smashed was developed in consultation with young people and has been designed to engage with pupils in a different way to typical school lessons.

Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East, said: “The importance of educating young people about the importance of responsible drinking should be paramount to any teaching institution. I am looking forward to watching the performance of Smashed on its visit to Allerton High School in my constituency of Leeds North East, and hope it will encourage young people to make informed decisions about drinking alcohol and doing so safely.”

Hillary Benn, MP for Leeds Central, added: “It’s encouraging to see Smashed helping students make informed decisions about drinking and making them aware of the dangers of alcohol misuse.”

To date the programme has reached more than 333,000 pupils in 1,400 schools across the UK since it began in 2005.

Stuart Andrew, MP for Pudsey, said: “Teaching young people about important issues such as alcohol misuse through theatre performances and interactive workshops is an original approach which will help raise an awareness.”

also visited North Yorkshire earlier this month and reached more than 2,900 pupils.