what we've done - the launch

The Community Drug Education Project was launched on Wednesday 25th February 1998 at the Rivoli Ballroom, Brockley, London SE4, attended by about 200 local and national professionals from such diverse backgrounds as community arts and the police.

Mike Goodman, director of the national drugs charity Release opened proceedings, describing CDEP as a "unique project of national importance", and introducing the Mayor of Lewisham, Jackie Addison who gave a clear account of her own experiences as a local parent and the need for real information to tackle the issues raised by drug use. Her personal story of her treatment from local health services led Mike to explode with the statement - "The Mayor's on drugs!" before introducing Councillor Dave Whiting. Dave had been instrumental in getting the project funded by Lewisham Council, reviewing the process and recommendations of the Citizens' Jury which led to our formation.

Ruth Joyce, then Head of Education and Prevention at the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (SCODA) gave us an exciting presentation of research which showed just how much our young people are now exposed to drug messages, and the dangers of modern marketing, at one point waving a bottle above her head and shouting "can you believe this - alcoholic water!" The audience were then treated to a brief performance of a play touring schools by Caught In The Act Theatre Company, and expressions of pride by Aileen Buckton, Assistant Director of Lewisham Education and Community Affairs and the Project's overall manager at the Council.

Dawn Hart, for CDEP, set out our mission, "To equip the residents and workers of Lewisham with the appropriate skills and information to deal effectively with the issues resulting from drugs in the community" and outlined our initial work programme, details of which are everywhere on the website.

The Verve and Faithless entertained us over lunch, when doubtless many deals (of the legal kind) were struck, and the coffee-fired sandwich-stuffed crowd wandered away soon afterwards, having enjoyed their morning and learned something about drugs in the process.