Drugs Awareness Campaign

History

D.A.C. is a non-profit company limited by guarantee which was established on 22nd January 2009 to organise, promote and conduct all manner of entertainments, festivals, sporting events and leisure activities to increase the awareness to the problem of drugs misuse and to give credibility to drug free entertainment within current youth culture.

The concept was founded by DAC's Managing Director, Michael A. Hall, in the early 90's and was successfully trialled in Bristol for 8 years. Patron of the Campaign was Actress Stephanie Cole and much support was provided by then Bristol MP, Lord William Waldegrave

 
The use of the international languages of Sport, Leisure and the Performing Arts were key in helping to promote drugs awareness. D.A.C's objectives to provide a much needed resource of out of school activities. (sporting tournaments, music events etc.) during school vacations and to educate children as young as 8 years old proved to be well ahead of its time; 3 years before the Government brought out the White Paper - 'Tackling Drugs Together' which advocated educating primary school attendants about the problems of drugs abuse. D.A.C. gained the support of well-known personalities and performers (“teen heroes”) seen by young people as 'role models' to help get the message across that 'the misuse of drugs is neither cool or glamorous'.

In 1995, DAC recorded a 'No Drugs' single at Peter Gabriel's recording studio's in Box attended by Patsy Palmer, Oliver Skeetes, Tippa Irie, Vivian Jones, Macka B, Chris Vacher, Sue Osman and David (Syd) Lawrence to name a few...

Local Drug Prevention Agencies and drugs counsellors relevant to the target market attended all D.A.C. events and educational drugs material was distributed via 'goody bags'.