Keeping the community and borough staff safe

Following the successful drug litter lunch held in May, the Royal Borough's Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) is holding a safe needle collection training lunch on Wednesday 30 September.

The training, provided by Veolia, is aimed at anyone who might come across needles and syringes during the course of their work, including police community support officers, community wardens, youth workers and housing association caretakers.

Participants will learn about the diseases needles harbour and be shown how to safely pick up and dispose of them. At the end of the session they'll receive a certificate and a single use sharps (needles) disposal kit.

Cllr Simon Dudley, cabinet member with responsibility for the DAAT, said: "Fortunately the borough has a relatively low level of needle finds, but it's important that any that are found are removed quickly. By training more people to safely dispose of needles, we can help make the borough a safer place."

Darren Ashley, operations manager for Veolia Environmental Services, said: "We are pleased to work with the DAAT to provide this training. If partners and colleagues are able to promptly dispose of the odd needle that they find, it allows my operatives to concentrate on improving the current high standards of cleansing within The Royal Borough."