Party safely at Christmas

Buckinghamshire residents are being urged to have fun but stay safe this festive season.

Buckinghamshire Council and Thames Valley Police are reminding people of the dangers associated with drinking too much alcohol and how to get home safely.

Drinking more alcohol than usual can have a negative impact on your health. The advice is to try to stick to the recommended six medium glasses of wine or six pints of beer per week. The NHS website explains how units of alcohol are calculated.

People are also advised to have some alcohol-free days.

Angela Macpherson, Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Adults and Health added that, "cutting back a bit doesn't have to spoil your fun!”

Partygoers are also warned against leaving their drink unattended and to be wary of accepting a drink from someone they don't know. Although rare, drink spiking can occur anywhere. The Thames Valley Police website has more information.

To be sure you get home safely, revelers are advised to plan their journey’s in advance if using public transport or to only use licensed taxis.

The Get Your Coat mobile app is a handy, free tool that can be programmed to send reminders of last bus and train times, send instant location messages to your contacts or make a one touch call to a saved number.

Buckinghamshire Council's Community Safety team also works closely with Thames Valley Police and local bars, pubs and clubs to promote safety messaging for all staff so they know what to do if they notice anything suspicious or spot someone in distress.

Information packs have been sent to venues including details on what they can do to increase safety and awareness.

Initiatives including 'Ask for Angela' are promoted to late night entertainment venues in Buckinghamshire. If a customer feels unsafe in one of the participating venues, they can go to a member of staff and ask to speak to 'Angela'.

This will alert the staff to the situation, and they will take steps to ensure the person is helped as needed. More information on the Ask for Angela initiative and the local participating venues can be found on the council's website.

Chief Inspector Robb Webb of Thames Valley Police said: "As we enter the Christmas party season, many of us are planning how to celebrate with friends and colleagues. Planning the end of your night and your journey home is just as important as how you plan to start your night.

"If you drive into town and are going to drink then plan in advance how you will get home and keep money aside to ensure that's still an option when you get to the end of the night. Make sure your phone is charged so you can keep an eye on public transport and can call friends or family if needed.

"As is usual, officers will be patrolling town centres throughout the festive season so please do speak to them if you have any concerns or need help. If you see inappropriate behaviour then please tell someone. If it's a friend then challenge them directly or speak to a member of bar staff, door staff or officers. By working together, everyone can enjoy their night out safely.”