Issued By West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service

PROOF OF AGE CARD PROVES SUCCESSFUL

Following this years theme of Community Safety for National Consumer Week, along with Councillor Peter Box, Leader of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service visited pupils at Minsthorpe College.

Councillor Box met with the students to promote the Proof of Age Partnership and highlighted the benefits of using this card. The card has details of the child’s date of birth, date when they reach 16 years of age and then the date when they reach 18 years of age. By using the card children can prove that they are old enough to purchase age restricted products, but it also helps the retailers who sometimes find it increasingly difficult to tell the correct age of the child.

Councillor Box, said “ It is very important that the proof of age cards are used. Retailers throughout Wakefield have been advised that they should adopt the policy of NO CARD – NO SALE. Wakefield is the first council in West Yorkshire to introduce the Proof of Age Parntership throughout the whole district as it was a scheme that the Council felt was imperative to reducing anti-social behaviour amongst our younger residents.”

Richard Brown Principal of Minsthorpe Community College said “ The college is very pleased to support the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service and Wakefield Council with the Proof of Age Partnership, to help in reducing the purchase of cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks to children under the legal age and we are also happy to support local businesses and will encourage our students to carry the Proof of Age Card.

Contact Details

Carol Hallett – General Media Contact 0113 3836 407
Helen Andrews – Education & Promotions Officer 0113 3836 433