Pupils tackle binge drinking

Back in January secondary school children in Years 7-13 were challenged to create three-minute films on alcohol related themes. The project was a partnership between Sutton Council, the police and the Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust. Films from 12 schools across the borough were aired on the big screen at Sutton's Empire Cinema with Paul Burstow MP presenting prizes to the best entries. Wallington High School for Girls won the Year 7-9 category, with the film 'It's your life - respect it', created by pupils Aaliya Gilbert, Anastasia Macneill and Jenny Hariskandaraj. The Year 10-11 prize went to Sutton Grammar School for 'Ben's Story', the work of Stephen Richer, Prashanth Sritharan, Neil Irwin, Benjamin Percival and Eashaanthen Easwaramohan, meanwhile James Mayhew, Max Wood, Charlie Poole, and Jack Meredith picked up the Year 12 -13 award for Carshalton Boys Sports College with the film 'Charlie'. The competition winners won a statue, a trip to the British Film Institute on the South Bank to see their film on the Big Screen, and a £100 voucher to spend on filming equipment. The judging panel included Cllr Graham Tope, Sutton's executive member for Community Safety, and featured representatives from the council, police, PCT and Empire Cinemas. People can see the winning films in Sutton's St Nicholas Shopping Centre on Saturday when they will be screened outside Boros on the ground floor from 12noon to 4pm. The films will also be screened during the trailers for feature films at Sutton Empire on Saturday 11 April. Cllr Ruth Dombey, Executive Member for Community Engagement on Sutton Council, said: "If we really want to change the culture of binge drinking in this country, we've got to work with our young people to get the message out. "Young people won't change their attitude to underage drinking by adults asking or telling them to." "We will continue to work with the police and the local PCT to talk to young people and work with them to change the culture of underage drinking in the UK."