WIRRAL is to play its part in European Drug Prevention Week, which starts on Monday (November 16). Highlight of the drive to increase awareness of the help and support available locally is a conference at Birkenhead Town Hall.

Various local organisations will be attending the conference, which takes place next Thursday (November 19).

"The aim of European Drug Prevention Week is to let people know that help does exist, that there are services for them, whether they are the users themselves or if the users are people they know," said a spokeswoman for ARCH (Advice, Rehabilitation Counselling and Health) Initiatives, a drugs misuse service based at the Argyle Centre, Oliver Street East, Birkenhead (Tel: 647-8633).

Started on Wirral 15 years ago, ARCH is part of the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (SCODA), which is at the forefront of European Drug Prevention Week.

Various organisations on Wirral, including the drug prevention service, CVS, health authority and police, are supporting the local initiative.

And next month, an arts exhibition, featuring the work of people who have had a drugs problem, can be seen at Woodside on Thursday, December 17.

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