Issued in association with Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership.
19 August 2008
Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership is giving out free bottles of water on Friday 22 August in the Xscape/Theatre District area of the city.
The initiative will involve representatives from Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police, Milton Keynes Council and the Community Safety Partnership distributing the water from 9pm to 1am and promoting a range of safety messages. The aim is to promote:
- Safe, sensible and social drinking
- Responsible drinking by encouraging individuals to pace themselves, alternate alcohol with soft drinks and rehydrate regularly
- A calm atmosphere
- General safety messages to ensure everyone can enjoy a safe night out
Neil Atkinson, Reducing Violence Manager, said: “The Community Safety Partnership’s water initiative will be taking place on Friday night for the fourth time.
"It has been well received by the public and appears to contribute towards a calm and safe atmosphere in the city centre. Over 3,000 bottles have been given out in the past and from talking to many of those involved, it is clear that people can see the benefits of alternating soft drinks with alcohol. This is a friendly reminder to do so!"
Gillian Prager, who chairs the Milton Keynes Drug and Alcohol strategic group for the Community Safety Partnership, added: “Often people are not aware of how many units they are consuming on a night out and can forget to keep themselves hydrated.
"It is important for everyone to understand the facts about alcohol and how much they are actually drinking - most people drink more than they realise.
"Drinking too much alcohol can cause a variety of physical and mental health problems. Excessive drinking can also lead to accidents, crime and inappropriate behaviour.
"All the agencies coming together to hand out water helps to reinforce these messages and ensure everybody enjoys a safe and fun night out. I am pleased to be supporting this initiative and helping to hand out bottles of water to revellers on a busy Friday night in Milton Keynes."