Just Breath, a 45-minute performance by Altru Drama, is visiting several schools across Knowsley to raise awareness of drugs and alcohol, including vaping, cannabis and ketamine.
Funded by Knowsley Council’s Public Health, the performance is hard hitting and engaging, raising awareness of the dangers of drugs and alcohol and providing children and young people with the knowledge and information they need to make positive choices and know where to get advice and support if they are concerned.
The production will be showed to pupils in year’s 5, 6 and 7 and is part of a preventative and educational approach to drug and alcohol use. After the performance, children and young people will take part in either a question & answer session or a workshop where they explore the story and the choices made by the characters in more detail and examine the consequences these may have.
Two of the leading actors in the production are from Knowsley, while the writer and CEO of Altru Drama, Kate Cotterell, is also originally from the borough.
Cllr Christine Bannon, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, said: “I’m delighted to that we have been able to fund this production in schools across Knowsley.
“It is vital that we communicate the dangers of drugs and alcohol and empower young people with the knowledge to make the right decisions in an engaging way. I believe that this production will help us achieve that.
Kate from Altru, said: “We really believe in the power of drama to educate and inform, and we know that giving young people these messages through realistic stories and characters has a much bigger, and longer lasting, impact than a presentation or talk by an adult.
“The borough of Knowsley is really important to me personally, and to the organisation, and we’re so pleased that we can offer this performance to Knowsley children and young people and that our cast is so representative of young people from the area.
“Shea and Anna are delighted to be working in schools in their communities and helping to educate and inspire children and young people just like them.”
The production will visit Halewood Academy, All Saints Catholic High School, Blacklow Brow Primary, St Mary and St Pauls Primary, Evelyn Primary, Park View Academy, Knowsley Village Primary, Malvern Primary, St Aloysius Primary, St Michaels and All Angels Primary, St Joseph the worker Primary, Our Lady’s Catholic Primary, Millbrook Primary, Holy Family Primary and St Laurence’s Primary.
Learn more about Ketamine use
Knowsley Council has developed a short animation which explains the dangers of Ketamine use and is suitable for parents and children. Find out more here.
Where can we access support?
If parents are worried about a child’s drug use, there is advice and support available on how to approach the situation with them via talktofrank.com
In Knowsley, drug support services are available for anyone aged 10+ and can be accessed via Change Grow Live. Visit www.changegrowlive.org/integrated-recovery-service-knowsley.