A WOMAN who established a support service for teenage drug users in Bury was last night in the running for a national award.

Beverley Whitworth, manager of Streetwise 2000 Young Persons’ Service, was nominated for a Tackling Drugs Changing Lives accolade at an awards ceremony in London.

She made the shortlist after being named the North West winner in the category which examined work undertaken for young people.

Beverley has been helping such people throughout her 19-year career in mental health services in Bury.

For the past decade, she has worked for Streetwise, managing a team which assists 16 to 25-year-olds who have mental health problems which are often drug-related. She was nominated because of her work in jointly setting up Bury’s Living Clean and Free Group for young recreational drug users.

Through Streetwise and the Young People’s Substance Steering Group, Beverley became aware of gaps in provision for 19 to 25-year-old recreational users.

Beverley said: “The group can be a challenging yet supportive setting for those who attend and is an excellent example of an exit strategy from the Early Break young people’s service. It can also be a route into adult services as relationships develop with the adult worker who delivers the sessions.

“It’s the young people who make the service what it is. Without them, it would not exist.”

The winners at last night’s ceremony will receive £10,000 for their organisation.