Secondary school students in Nottinghamshire are set to receive a hard-hitting lesson on the dangers of underage drinking in an effort to drive down alcohol consumption and harm amongst young people.

‘Smashed’, an international theatre production developed and presented by Collingwood Learning and supported by Diageo, will visit nine secondary schools across Nottinghamshire between 6^th and 10^th February. The programme combines drama with interactive workshops to help young people understand the facts, causes, and consequences of alcohol misuse and the risks of underage drinking.

‘Smashed’ will be at Outwood Academy, Kirkby, on Tuesday, 7th February, and at  Queen Elizabeth’s Academy, Mansfield, on Thursday, 9^th February.

Each ‘Smashed’ session combines a 25-minute dramatic performance with a 35-minute interactive workshop which allows students to reflect on vital underage drinking themes and answer questions about the choices made by the characters in the performance.

Smashed works in close collaboration with Community Alcohol Partnerships (CAPs), an organisation which brings together councils, police, retailers, schools, health providers and community groups across the UK to reduce alcohol harm among young people.

Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, said: “Smashed is a fantastic project that educates students about the dangers of underage drinking outside of the typical classroom environment. I’m delighted to see that the team will be performing at Outwood Academy, Kirkby, as part of their Nottinghamshire tour, and I welcome the positive impact initiatives like this have on local communities”.