We Must Change our Drinking Ways

Measures were unveiled this week to tackle youngsters who drink alcohol in public.
A key plank in the strategy is holding parents responsible for children who consume alcohol and where necessary, prosecuting them for their failures.
Professionals could be called in where parents are unable to handle their children and parenting courses would be compulsory for irresponsible parents.
We need measures like these to change the drinking culture in the same way that we altered football fans’ behaviour.
This is a moral issue and underlines where we stand as a nation, in terms of our values and responsibilities.
There is a clear link between the abuse of alcohol and anti-social behaviour by young people, which needs tough and urgent action.
Groups of youngsters drinking in public places are an all-too familiar sight and we need to role out more alcohol free zones. These have been effective in Deeside and should be adopted in all communities.
Of course, a great part of the problem rests with parents who have alcohol problems themselves. More than one million children live with parents who have alcohol problems and so therapy is vital for the whole family. This can be expensive, but it is available and families should feel no shame in seeking support.
Eliminating binge drinking and making the consumption of alcohol more socially responsible is a massive task, but one that I am confident we can deliver on.
We can establish the sort of respect for alcohol that our European cousins show, but only if we change our attitudes and responses to its consumption.

For a Great Day Join the Hawarden Walkers

I was delighted to join walkers for a trek around Hawarden last Friday, which was an excellent way to hear the views of people while enjoying exercise.
Hawarden Village Walks started in 2005 and every Friday morning between 70 and 100 people take part in various walks. The age band of those taking part is very wide and as well as offering participants the chance to get some fresh air, it also introduces people to new friends.
I would thoroughly recommend anyone with an interest in walking to take part in a Hawarden Walk and if any readers need more information please do not hesitate to get in touch with my office on 01244 819854.

Mark Hails Coffee Campaign

Mark Tami has welcomed a pledge by a national coffee shop to donate a full day’s profits to charity.
Mr Tami also said other large corporations should follow the lead taken by Costa Coffee in donating their profits on June 14th to good causes.
Mr Tami said: “Costa Coffee is donating every penny of profit from June 14th to charity. This is a considerable sum and an enormous gesture of goodwill.
“Costa Coffee’s actions are also precisely what other corporations should be doing to win the moral support of their customers.
“Perhaps large-scale supermarkets could contribute a day’s profits to poor farmers at home and abroad, while the big pharmaceutical companies could donate a day’s profits to the cost of HIV treatments in the developing world.”
Costa Coffee will donate the profits from June 14th to coffee growing regions to help build classrooms and obtain clean water supplies.
Mr Tami said: “What happens far away has an effect on us. Likewise, choosing to go to Costa Coffee on June 14th could have a major impact on the lives of people living in South American and African communities.”