SIX groups in Bury have been awarded grants to tackle anti-social behaviour fuelled by alcohol abuse.

Residents were able to choose which groups received the funding under a pioneering community-led project, called the Bury East Alcohol Prospectus Scheme (BEAPS).

The plans were unveiled at the second annual BEAPS presentation night event at Moorside Community Centre in Bury, organised by Bury East Township Forum. Money for the project came from the national Alcohol Prospectus Fund.

The meeting was chaired by Cllr Mike Connolly, leader of Bury Council, who said: “We all know how disturbing alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour can be and this project delivered tangible results in 2012.

“The initiative puts real powers into the hands of the local community and we all look forward to receiving feedback on these projects at future meetings of the township forum.”

The six projects to benefit were: n—Bury Youth Service — Peer Education Prog-ramme: to work with 15 Year 10 pupils at Broad Oak High School, delivering alcohol awareness sessions to Year Seven and Eight pupils during PHSE lessons.

n—Early Break — Alternatives Project: to deliver holistic therapies for “at risk” young people in a therapeutic setting within a school/college, aimed at reducing factors that can lead to alcohol use and poor learning such as anger, low mood, sleep disturbance, and low confidence.

n—Coram Life Education — Parent Assembly Prog-ramme: to bring together children, teachers, par-ents/carers and comm-unity partners, to deliver the key messages around alcohol-related harm in terms of anti-social behaviour, health and families.

n—Community Safety Partnership — Young Persons’ Alcohol Harm Reduction Conference: an awareness-raising event, including the police, anti-social behaviour team, trading standards and the fire service.

n—POG Group — Alcohol Peer Educators: to provide information, advice, and support to young people about alcohol who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender or who are questioning their sexuality, offering them the skills and opportunity to educate other young people.

n—Redvales Children’s Centre — Healthy Relationships: to focus on situations which may threaten “family” safety, encouraging women to come forward, seek their rights and then to direct them to self-help services.