Changing lives in Slough
Slough Borough Council will be working in partnership with local agencies this month to raise awareness of the negative impacts of drug misuse as part of National Tackling Drugs Week (NTDW).
A week of Slough events has been organised from May 19 to 23, to support the government’s National Drug Strategy, and the council’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), who will be hosting a number of workshops.
Drug and substance misuse
There will be a health activist from Slough council on hand to provide information and literature for drug and substance misuse at:
* Monday 19 May at Asda from 10am to 8pm
* Wednesday 21 May at Thames Valley University from 11.30am to 2.00pm
Illicit drug users or carers
Overdose prevention workshops will be on offer to support and advise illicit drug users or carers, and will take place at:
* Monday 19 May at Manor Park Young People Centre from 2pm to 5pm
* Thursday 22 May at Guides Hut, Reddington Drive in Langley from 10am to 1pm
Information stands
Information stands will be hosted:
* Monday 19 May at Britwell Library
* Thursday 22 May at The Centre
Slough Borough Council’s DAAT programmes coordinator, Jatinder Matharu, said: “As a council, we have a responsibility for improving the quality of life for everyone who lives, works and visits Slough.
“To achieve this, we have arranged a number of initiatives to tackle drug use and drug related crime.
“Slough DAAT aims to protect the public from drug-related crime by proactively marketing prevention and enforcement activities through the borough.
“We work closely with Thames Valley Police, East Berkshire Primary Care Trust, the probation service, youth offending teams, voluntary organisations.
“With the support of residents, we aim to uphold the fight against drug use and drug crime and are encouraging them to report drug activity to the police.”
The DAAT mission is to support all agencies in the delivery of the national drug strategy on six key areas:
* Treatment – to support people in overcoming their drug and alcohol related problems and live healthy, drug free lives.
* Drug intervention programme – to direct drug using offenders out of crime and into treatment.
* Community – to protect our community from drug related anti-social and criminal behaviour.
* Availability – to stifle the availability of illegal drugs in the community.
* Young people – to help young people resist substance misuse in order to achieve their full potential.
* Alcohol – to reduce the harm caused by alcohol in Slough.
For further help and support for substance misuse you can call 'Talk to Frank' on 0800 77 66 00.
To report drug dealing or drug taking activity, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number on 0845 8 505 505.
To contact DAAT, please call 01753 875501 or e-mail communitysafety@slough.gov.uk.
Slough Borough Council