Date: 17/08/2009
Community safety workers are to hold a public meeting in Buxton to spell out their efforts to tackle drugs and the misery they cause.
Organised by High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire Police and partners, the meeting will take place in the Paxton Suite, Pavilion Gardens on Tuesday 29 September between 6.30pm and 9pm.
The event will advise people affected by drugs misuse, outline the action being taken to fight drugs, and alert residents to the signs of drug taking so they can call the police when they suspect someone is taking or dealing drugs.
Police will describe the Buxton drugs market while NHS North Derbyshire will describe the work of Supporting Parents of Drug Abusers (SPODA) and Base 3. SPODA's work is self explanatory while Base 3 offers treatment to North Derbyshire under 18s with a drug problem.
The meeting is the idea of borough councillors Jonathan Davey and Bill Fiddy, who said residents concerned about drugs use in the town centre had contacted them.
Said Andrew Bingham, Executive Councillor for Social and Community Development: "The event will offer support to people affected by drugs misuse while police will answer questions about the local drugs problem and what's being done about it.
"There will be stands and exhibitions at what promises to be an informative evening to which all are invited", he added.
Derbyshire Police drugs expert Steve Holme said that drugs problems were no worse in Buxton than in many other parts of the country. Indeed, there were many communities nationwide in which drug taking and dealing were far more common. Nevertheless, it was vital to combat drugs misuse wherever it was found as drugs ruined people's lives.
The meeting is open to licensed premises, schools and colleges, shopkeepers and concerned residents as well as to the general public.