Cricket star to visit Rochdale drugs project

Date published: 18/05/2006

Lancashire star Ian Sutcliffe will trade his cricket whites for boxing gloves when he visits a pioneering drugs project for teenagers in Rochdale on Monday 22 May.

The 31-year-old will drop in to the town's 4U18 project to see how drug and alcohol education has been built in to after school boxing classes. He will meet eight local youngsters, aged 14 to 18, who are taking part in the sessions and have signed up to become sports coaches for younger children.

The visit has been organised as part of events being put on in Rochdale to mark national Tackling Drugs Day.

It won't be the first time Iain has laced up a pair of red gloves. The talented left-hander was a British Universities' boxing champion before turning to professional cricket.

You are invited to send a reporter / photographer / camera crew to Iain's visit to 4U18. Meet at Early Break, 132 Drake Street, Rochdale at 6.30pm on Monday 22 May. Iain will take part in boxing sessions, hear from the young people on the scheme and be available for interview afterwards. NB - Media are advised that young people at the scheme must not be identified.

4U18 is run by local charity Early Break, which provides drug and alcohol services in for young people under 18 in Rochdale, Bury and East Lancashire.

Iain Sutcliffe will meet the first teenagers in the borough to sign up for a 4U18's 15-week sports community leadership scheme. It will lead to a foundation level qualification in sports coaching that enables award holders to do paid coaching work with youngsters aged eight to 14. As well as spending two hours at the leadership scheme each week the young people on the course are expected to put time in training at the after school boxing and fitness sessions.

Early Break based the courses around non-contact boxing because it helps deal with typical teenage frustration and teaches mental and physical discipline.

Early Break co-ordinator Annette Gale said:

"We are delighted that Iain has been able to find the time to come and see what we are doing Rochdale. This whole project is about getting the message out to young people that alcohol and drugs come with a lot of problems attached, something they won't often hear from their friends. When these eight teenagers graduate from this course we will have ambassadors who not only are on their way to getting a professional coaching qualification but who also can talk sense to other young people."

The co-ordinator of Rochdale's drug and alcohol action team, Jeanette Staley, said:

"For years the approach to drugs education in this country was to tell young people to just say no. That didn't work. We are now trying to get young people to 'just say know' - know what alcohol and drugs will do to you and the risks and consequences of using them. The real beauty of a project like 4U18, which involves a lot of physical activity, is that it brings home what is at stake - people's health and fitness and well being. It's great to get Iain's support because he is a brilliant example of the rewards that can be reaped by leading a healthy life."

The Home Office created national Tackling Drugs Day to help focus attention of local drug action projects across the country. It wants local communities to have a better understanding of the range of support provided to drug misusers and their family and friends.