A theatre production designed to prevent underage drinking is making its way to The Vale of Glamorgan.
‘Smashed’ is a 25-minute performance by professional actors followed by a 35-minute workshop where participants reflect on the themes and answer questions about the choices made by the characters.
The production has been running for 20 years and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by fostering a culture of health and well-being among adolescents. Approximately 73 per cent of students in Great Britain said they were less likely to drink alcohol underage following the Smashed performance in the 2023 – 2024.
Smashed has visited St Richard Gwyn Catholic School and Pencoedtre High School in Barry and will also showcase at Cowbridge Comprehensive School on Tuesday, September 24.
The production is the brainchild of Collingwood Learning and is supported by Diageo, a British multinational alcoholic beverage company. In total it will visit 15 schools in and around South Wales.
Nuno Teles, Managing Director at Diageo GB, said: “I am so proud that ‘Smashed’ has reached its twentieth year in Great Britain.
"This really is a testament to the incredible impact of the programme worldwide, consistently delivering a fantastic learning experience for young people with a proven significant increase in understanding of the dangers of underage drinking.
"At Diageo, we are deeply committed to tackling underage drinking and we hope that the students we are visiting across the Vale of Glamorgan will not only gain valuable insights from the performances, but also leave better informed and prepared to make responsible choices about alcohol.”
Chris Simes, Managing Director at Collingwood Learning, added: “We are excited to return to the Vale of Glamorgan with Smashed Live in Autumn 2024.
"Despite the progress made in reducing underage drinking across Great Britain, it remains crucial to continue reinforcing our message, and our team is eager to engage young people across South Wales about the ongoing health and social risks of drinking underage.”
With a goal to educate 10 million young people by 2030, the programme expanded in 2021 with Smashed Online, which uses filmed clips, interactive tools, and assessments that can be completed in schools or from home.
For more information on the Smashed programme and its upcoming tour, please visit: https://www.smashedproject.org/
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