THE MOTHER of pop star, Amy Winehouse is hailing a new drug and alcohol awareness initiative coming to Bournemouth secondary schools.

Janis Winehouse spoke to the Daily Echo about The Amy Winehouse Foundation teaming up with the charity, Addaction, to educate students, teachers and parents about the underlying emotional wellbeing issues connected to substance misuse.

Teachers, through the Resilience Programme, will be helped to better identify and work with students at risk, to improve attendance at school, increase attainment and build resilience to peer pressure, with assistance from recovering addicts.

Janis says that not only does this teach the young people about addiction, but it also helps those in recovery get back into work.

She said: “These people will be able to tell it like it is and this is where it brings it home.

She added: “The foundation is giving these people the opportunity of employment and the chance to turn their lives around. It is the first step back into real life.

“We are really grateful for the support of Dominic Ruffey and Jane Winehouse, who are the people who have driven this forward. We are also so glad to have been given the £4.25million grant from the Big Lottery, which was specifically given to deliver the programme in 10 locations across the country.

“Taking drugs is a frightening route [in life] and both myself and Mitchell (Amy’s dad) know what can happen.

“We are both so fiercely proud of the foundation and what it is doing.”

A welcome-to-all launch event is being held this Monday, from 3.30pm to 6.30pm, at R Hub, Unit 1, Station Approach, off Ashley Road in Boscombe.

Then, on Tuesday, July 1, a volunteer recruitment morning takes place at the same location, from 11am to 1pm, aimed at those within the recovery community who wish to help deliver professional drug and alcohol education.

The Amy Winehouse Foundation was set up in memory of the singing superstar who tragically passed away in July 2011, to help young people with varying levels of need.

For more information, contact Anna Elston, Amy Winehouse Foundation Resilience Programme co-ordinator for Bournemouth, on 07538 051204 or email a.elston@amywinehousefoundation.org