Latest news
You may be aware that DASL in conjunction with an advertising company TBWA\London has embarked upon a campaign to raise the level of awareness around women’ problematic drinking with a poster campaign (details below). The campaign has caused quite a stir and was initially advertised at 55 poster sites across the underground network but has been picked up by London and other media (Evening Standard, Mail on-line, Daily Star, Loose Women etc). Views have been mixed both positive and negative as to be expected with any campaign but under no circumstances did DASL intend to cause offence to any groups or communities.
The Advertising Complaints Authority have ruled that the advert was primarily aimed at women to raise awareness around problem drinking and was unlikely to cause undue distress, serious or widespread offence or to encourage discrimination. If however you do receive calls to this effect please do pass them to me to respond to.
Thank you for your patience and assistance.
DASL
Click here to see the advert in .pdf file
DASL is really pleased to announce that the Football Foundation has given us enough funding to continue the AIR Football programme this year and we are actively searching for additional funds to support the project which is growing in popularity with clients, in the long term in Redbridge, Newham and hopefully soon Greenwich and Bexley. The 10 week football training programme is delivered by an ex service user – Colm Whitty. The project aims to promote teamwork, build self-confidence and peer to peer mentoring through physical activity, sign posting into treatment, improving health and fitness and supporting service users in achieving their goals. For most clients, whatever their skills or levels of fitness at the beginning, engaging in an enjoyable, outdoor activity with others who are in the same situation as they are, brings immediate benefits. For those who don’t progress further with football, it gives them ways of getting into other areas of sports such as running, netball or fitness training.
Colm has gained his coaching certificates and a UEFA B License which entitles him to coach at a professional level. He has attracted sponsorship from major firms to provide some of the equipment or refreshments for events. Fitness First , for example, offer free fitness tests and give half price membership for clients, HSBC set up bank accounts for clients, Boots encourage smoking cessation in their sessions.
DASL Annual report
It has come to our attention that there are some inaccuracies in the Annual Report which we would like to rectify and for which we would like to apologise.
In the section entitled Air Football – Redbridge Client work – we wish to emphasise that the Redbridge DAAT have been supportive of this project from its inception. Whilst the project was unsuccessful in its first attempt at accessing statutory funding, it was at the DAAT’s suggestion, and with their help, that the proposal was re-written and it was the Redbridge DAAT who first pointed Colm in the direction of the Bridge Project as a place where he could get the administrative help he needed. Without this guidance and support from the DAAT, the project would never have got off the ground.
Both Colm Whitty and DASL would like to thank the DAAT for their persistence and foresight with this project and DASL would like to apologise for any misunderstandings that have arisen as a result of this article.
Click here to download the annual report
The updated Alcohol Strategy for England was launched on 5 June . Its called Safe. Sensible. Social. Here’s the link.
Funding News
One of the best moments for any charity is when it receives the ‘you’ve been successful’ letter for raising new funds. At the end of last year DASL was fortunate to have three of those moments.
Firstly, the City Bridge Trust has awarded us £108,000 over three years for the salary of an Older People and Alcohol Worker to run from our service in Greenwich and Bexley.
A lot is written, a lot of concern is expressed and a lot of services are being developed for young people who misuse illegal drugs and to some extent alcohol. Quite the reverse can be said for people over 60. Over 60 year-olds account for nearly one in seven of all alcohol-related hospital admissions and alcohol problems in older people are more likely to be unnoticed and undiagnosed.
Alcohol misuse among these older people is a major concern for hospital staff, social workers, care workers and carers but the scale of the problem is often hidden or ignored. Maintaining good physical and mental health is important for older people. Whilst average life expectancy is increasing, the quality of life for old people hasn’t necessarily accompanied this, particular not for those old people from the lower social economic groups and those socially excluded.
So we are delighted that this new post at BAGRA will work with carers, professionals and older clients to both raise awareness of alcohol and work with those who want to cut down or stop drinking. The new post will be advertised in the coming months.
Help a London Child and Connexions have together contributed £11,836 to the Girls Talk project.
Girls Talk is one of 252 children’s and young peoples projects across London currently sharing £439,114 awarded by Capital 95.8’s Help a London Child in its second and final grant allocation for 2006. This particular grant will mean that Girl’s Talk Health & Wellbeing will continue to support the physical and emotional well-being and development of Bangladeshi and Asian young women aged 12 to 16 years.
This innovative health initiative will enable young Asian women to receive relevant and accessible health information, voice their concerns, increase their levels of confidence, and participation within the school and learning environments.