As part of their awareness programme's 20th anniversary in Great Britain, 'Smashed' are doing are doing an ultimate Secondary school tour including North Yorkshire.
Smashed has educated over 580,000 students in Great Britain and 5.5 million students globally.
Students will receive crucial lessons on the risks of underage drinking, to reduce underage drinking and its associated harms among young people.
The project will visit 9 schools in North Yorkshire from 21st to 25th October, to educate students about the causes and consequences of underage drinking.
Smashed will be visiting 2 schools in Harrogate and Ripon this week, including Ashville College in Harrogate on Monday 21st October, and Ripon Grammar School in Ripon on Wednesday 23rd October
Smashed, is an international educational theatre production by Collingwood Learning and supported by Diageo.
Combining drama with interactive workshops, Smashed uses professional actors to present a 25-minute performance followed by a 35-minute workshop where participants reflect on the themes and answer questions about the choices made by the characters.
This initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by fostering a culture of health and well-being among adolescents, a critical demographic for instilling lifelong healthy habits.
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 related harm among young people.
Nuno Teles, Managing Director at Diageo GB, said:
“I am so proud that ‘Smashed’ has reached its twentieth year in Great Britain.
This really is a testament to the incredible impact of the programme worldwide, consistently delivering a fantastic learning experience for young people with a proven significant increase in understanding of the dangers of underage drinking.
He added,
"At Diageo, we are deeply committed to tackling underage drinking and we hope that the students we are visiting across North Yorkshire will not only gain valuable insights from the performances, but also leave better informed and prepared to make responsible choices about alcohol.”
Sir Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, said:
“It is great to see the Smashed team return to Yorkshire.
This is a fantastic project that raises awareness of the dangers of underage drinking through interactive learning.
This project inspires young people to think critically about their health and well-being which has a positive impact on communities across Skipton and Ripon.”
Diageo is committed to promoting moderation and tackling alcohol harm across the UK.
73 % of students stated that they were less likely to drink alcohol underage following the Smashed performance.
With a goal to educate 10 million young people by 2030, the programme expanded in 2021 with Smashed Online, which uses filmed clips, interactive tools, and assessments that can be completed in schools or from home.
For more information on the Smashed programme and its upcoming tour, please visit their website here.