A SUPPORT group for parents with troubled teenagers have organised a special community event to tackle the issue of drugs.

The awareness talk by Dorset Police has been organised by the Hang On In There group for people who are interested, curious, worried or want to know more about the effects of drugs on young people.

It is open to everyone including parents, grandparents and professionals who work with children.

Mums Nicky Cumber and Elizabeth Clark set up the Hang On In There group last year as somewhere parents of difficult youngsters could meet in an informal setting for advice and to share experiences.

They have now organised the community drugs awareness talk, which will be held on Wednesday, May 21 at the Dorset Youth Association Centre in Lubbecke Way from 7pm.

Nicky said she hoped the event would help arm parents with more information if they have any concerns about drugs.

She said: “Drugs are becoming more readily available and there are so many parents out there who are very naive and need to know what they are looking for if their child is taking drugs and what sort of things to expect.”

Nicky added: “Anybody can come – parents, grandparents or professionals.

“There is a lot going on out there with drugs and a lot of us parents don’t even know much about it.”

The event will be in the main hall at the Dorset Youth Association Centre and there will be refreshments and parking available on the night.

The Hang On In There group meets fortnightly at the centre and Nicky said it had proved a great success since it started last year. She said there had been plenty of support from the community and offers of funding and now she and Elizabeth were keen to spread the word to more parents so more people can benefit from it.

Nicky said: “It’s going really well, our funding has gone really well and we are concentrating on the number at the moment.

“We are getting more and more professionals emailing us saying we have got someone they think might be suitable for us so our name is getting out there.”