ASCERT was delighted to receive a charitable donation of over £1,500 from Sergeant Robinson on behalf of the PSNI Fermanagh and Omagh District Support Team recently.

ASCERT is a Northern Ireland charity and leading provider of services addressing drugs and alcohol related issues.

Money seized

Money was seized by the District Support Team in the Enniskillen area following the execution of a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act. The individual was subsequently convicted on a number of drug offences and the money ordered to be forfeited at court.

Following this, the investigating officers requested that the money be directed to two charities in the local area, whose work tackles drug and alcohol addiction, suicide awareness and mental health issues.

Sgt Robinson said: “We are delighted to be able to donate over £1,500 to ASCERT and £1,080 to PIPS to be invested locally.

“We hope this donation will assist both charities in dealing with their respective issues.”

“As Police Officers, we encounter families and individuals dealing with these kind of issues on a regular basis and it’s good to take money from those involved in drug supply and put it back into services like this.”

Delighted

Chris McMahon, ASCERT Service Manager thanked Sgt Robinson and the team: “I am delighted to accept this generous donation which will help us continue our charitable mission of addressing alcohol and drug related issues, reducing harm and supporting positive change in individuals within our local communities.

He went on to explain that ASCERT’s vision is to have a society protected from the harm resulting from drug and alcohol misuse.

“[This] has become more prevalent since the pandemic, where many people were using alcohol, prescription or illicit drugs as a way to cope with the anxiety, stress and isolation they experienced during the lockdowns, increasing risks of addiction.

“Most people only seek help when things have hit crisis point and ASCERT are here to help and support anyone experiencing issues with alcohol or substance use, before it leads to greater problems. Our website www.ascert.biz has information, self-help resources and signposting and we would encourage anyone feeling this way to reach out to us.”