Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation and Nacoa UK have announced a new partnership to raise awareness and understanding about alcohol problems and their impact on families in schools. The collaboration between the two organizations will double Nacoa’s current capacity by providing tools for over one hundred presentations and training sessions, making it the largest outreach project of its kind in UK history.
According to recent statistics, 1 in 5 children in the UK are affected by a parent’s drinking, and over 700,000 children live with an alcohol-dependent parent. These children are more likely to suffer from mental health problems, witness violence, have trouble at school, and develop an addiction problem themselves. However, only 18% of parents with an addiction problem are in touch with treatment, and the majority of these young people keep their problems hidden from the outside world. This partnership aims to provide support and build resilience for these children to make healthy choices for themselves.
Nacoa, the national charity for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking or similar addictive issues, is the NHS recommended service for children of alcoholics and promotes awareness and training through its schools campaign. However, despite the prevalence of this issue, it is not a statutory topic in classrooms in England and Wales. This has historically relied on the initiative of individual volunteers. By joining forces with Iceland and matching their funding, this partnership will allow Nacoa to accelerate its existing program and provide a legacy through a full update of materials and an emphatic example of success for future projects.
The boost in Nacoa’s schools campaign will commence in the spring of 2024. Hilary Henriques MBE, Nacoa’s Chief Executive, stated, “The power in this project is the partnership. When Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation came to us with an idea to collaborate, we quickly came to the same conclusion: more needs to be done to support children of alcoholics in schools. This is not about swooping in and targeting particular young people. It’s about generating healthy conversation amongst all students and teachers about the impacts of alcohol on individuals and families. That creates a virtuous cycle which breaks down stigma. People affected will feel seen. They will know that they aren’t alone and that there are ways to protect themselves and feel better. With Iceland Foods, we are starting on a journey that will change the lives of some of the most vulnerable young people you can imagine.”
Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods and Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation Trustee, also commented, “The wellbeing of children and families has always been a priority for Iceland, especially during times of financial strain or uncertainty. The work that Nacoa is doing is vital and provides children with the education and resources they need to feel supported and to make healthy choices for themselves. This historic partnership will enable Nacoa to reach more children than ever before in schools across the UK and start life-changing conversations, laying the groundwork to help prevent future mental health problems and alcohol addiction.”
The Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) has raised £34 million to date for charity partners, with a primary focus on projects within four core areas: Dementia, Environment, Wellbeing, and Children. IFCF has worked with organizations such as Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, The National Brain Appeal, Prostate Cancer UK, and Action for Children. Their Backyard Nature campaign has inspired a million hours of nature engagement for children in the UK. Their social media channels include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Nacoa (The National Association for Children of Alcoholics) is a registered charity founded in 1990 to address the needs of children affected by a parent’s drinking or similar addictive problem. Their four broad aims are to offer information, advice, and support for children affected by a parent’s drinking, reach professionals who work with them, raise their profile in the public consciousness, and promote research into the problems they face and the prevention of alcohol use disorder developing in this vulnerable group. Their social media channels include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter.
Distributed by Pressat on behalf of Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, on Friday 26 April, 2024. For more information subscribe and follow https://pressat.co.uk/
Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation
Nacoa UK
Alcohol
Parental Alcoholism
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Awareness
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Addiction
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Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.