From l-r: Commander Paul Broadbent (South Yorkshire Police), Christa Ackroyd (BBC Look North), Jo Daykin-Goodall (Director for Substance Misuse Strategy, Sheffield Drug & Alcohol Action Team), Jan Sobieraj (Chiief Executive, NHS Sheffield), Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg MP (MP for Sheffield Hallam and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Party)

The first Sheffield Alcohol Conference was held at the City Hall on 26th September 2008.  It was called "It's No Laughing Matter" to counter the stereotyped image of the drunk as a joke.  For many people whose experience of alcohol misuse is of crime, health problems, poverty, risk and anti-social behaviour, the situation is far from funny.

The conference was organised by the Safer Communities Partnership and senior officers from partner organisations were in attendance, with several giving presentations to the audience.  The conference was hosted by Christa Ackroyd from BBC Look North, and Nick Clegg, MP for Sheffielfd Hallam and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, gave the keynote address.

The conference was well-attended, with about 125 delegates.  There was a real buzz about the day as issues around all aspects of alcohol use were discussed: these included such areas as treatment, effects on young people, crime and the night-time economy.  The evaluation of the conference was very positive, with most people rating the event as excellent or good.

Sheffield started the process of evaluating the harm done by alcohol by commissioning the Alcohol Strategy; the conference has raised the profile of the Strategy and helped to publicise it more widely.

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Page last updated 14th January 2009 at 1030 GMT