NORTHWICH-based initiative Stay Aware has received a boost to help it increase awareness about drug misuse.

The project has received a £500 grant in Police Mutual’s national community sponsorship programme, Force for Good.

Cheshire Police, where Stay Aware is based, had four winning initiatives, which together received £1,050 in charitable contributions from Police Mutual.

Danielle Rigby, who works for Cheshire Police as an Emergency Services Network Project Manager, nominated the Stay Aware initiative, which is run by charity Sporting Communities and headed up by Danielle’s brother Ben Rigby.

Stay Aware is aiming at supporting deprived communities, especially young people at risk of drug misuse.

Danielle said: “Police Mutual’s Force For Good grant will go towards the purchase of a D&Wp Drug Box, which contains harmless replicas of a variety of drugs in realistic packaging for educational purposes.

“This will enable Stay Aware to work with young people through our outreach programmes, increasing awareness of different substances and educating participants about the risks associated with substance misuse.

“Having an understanding of substances and their effects, young people will be able to make informed decisions about which path they choose to take if offered an illegal substance.

“If a young person chooses not to take an illegal substance, or prevents a friend or sibling from becoming involved in substance misuse, that will have a profound impact not on their life, and that of their friends, family and the wider community.

“In some circumstances it will even save lives.”

For more than 150 years Police Mutual has been committed to helping serving and retired police officers, staff, Specials and their families with their finances.

Force for Good, its award-winning national community sponsorship programme, awarded £50,000 in support of local projects throughout the country this spring, with 212 initiatives receiving grants ranging from £100 to £1,000.

Police Mutual is a commercially run, not-for-profit organisation with the vision of supporting the wellbeing of the police family.

The second 2017 nomination window opens in autumn 2017, with Police Mutual pledging a further £50,000 to Force for Good initiatives, bringing the total to £100,000 across the year.