http://www.chalkhill-lives.co.uk/ CHALKHILL - the worlds first community produced, Internet based soap opera. Absolut Engine 1.72 - http://www.absolutengine.com/ Portsmouth young people are set to be educated about the risks anddangers surrounding teenage underage drinking thanks to a new DVDproduced by the CHALKHILL LIVES: Community Television Drama School, thenot-for-profit charity associated with the pioneering Portsmouth basedInternet and TV soap opera: 'CHALKHILL'. The completed film is also tobe shown on BBC TV's nationally broadcast 'Community Channel'.Thanks to funding from the Local Network Fund, Hampshire, the film wasdevised working with a number of young Portsmouth people, who - byattending improvisational and camera technique training TV dramaworkshops - insisted their true experiences about teenage drinking beincluded in the film. The completed film is now to be distributed acrossall Portsmouth secondary schools, in association with Portsmouth CityCouncil.Charlotte Bemand, Children & Young People's Team Manager, HealthImprovement and Development Service, aims to get the DVD used inPersonal, Social & Health Education lessons, to inform and stimulatedebate around the issue that affects many young people in Portsmouth."In the city we have similar problems with underage drinking to otherparts of the country, which can result in young people harmingthemselves and others as well as damaging their long term health. ThisDVD will help to educate and inform teenagers and young people so thatthey're more aware of the risks they face and hopefully feel able toresist peer pressure. "And Co-op Stores, which granted permission for their Paulsgrove AllawayAvenue store to feature in the film, are to use the film as a trainingresource around the issue of underage drinking. Gareth Lewis, Head ofLoss Prevention at Southern Co-operatives said: "We were delighted togive our support to the making of this powerful film as we take theissue of underage drinking very seriously indeed. All our storecolleagues receive stringent training in this area, and this resourcewill certainly help to get the message across in a shocking butrealistic way. The film should have as wide an audience as possible, andwe congratulate the young people who worked on it for their success inhighlighting this growing problem."Steven Surridge, the Chief Executive Officer of the charity, is proud ofthe work the young people did on the film, as it validates the practicaluse of TV drama within the Portsmouth community to raise awarenessaround such issues."It's amazing how young people don't want to be lectured at in person,yet are keen to get involved in discussions around films or TV shows.The aim of this film is to get young people thinking about the risksthey'll be taking if they decide to underage drink. If we can't get themto stop drinking, at least we can make them aware of the possibledangers. The finished film dramatises what happens to one particularcharacter and the various pressures placed upon her, with many of theconsequences left unresolved for the audience to consider themselves."The completed film can also be viewed online atwww.chalkhill-lives.co.uk/charity. Episodes of the CHALKHILL soap operacan also be viewed online via this website.'CHALKHILL' is the world's first community produced television andInternet soap opera. Episodes can be viewed online anytime over abroadband connection atwww.chalkhillsoapopera.comFor further information, contact Steven Surridge, Executive Producer on02392 219026.Charlotte Bemand at Portsmouth City Council can be contacted viaStephanie Light, Communications Officer on 023 9283 4576; email:stephanie.light@portsmouthcc.gov.uk http://www.chalkhill-lives.co.uk/news/?articleID=5 http://www.chalkhill-lives.co.uk/news/?articleID=5 exec@chalkhillsoapopera.com (Steve) Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:21:01 GMT