Montrose Football Club has introduced a ban on energy drinks in light of The Courier’s campaign.
The League Two team is supporting the Can It campaign, which is calling on all secondary head teachers to stop pupils bringing energy drinks into schools.
The club’s charity arm, the Links Park Community Trust, engages with more than 1,000 children a week with a variety of programmes.
Peter Davidson, who is the manager of the trust, said he would now introduce an energy drink ban when the activities are taking place.
He said: “Our wide range of programmes see us interact with well over 1,000 children a week in the promotion of sport, education and health.
“Supporting this campaign makes perfect sense to us and we have even, off the back of it, decided to introduce a ban on energy drinks at all of our sessions.”
The trust holds football sessions for primary school children five days a week as well as its flagship Soccer Saturday programme, which attracts around 80 children who are aged between five and 14.
This move also has the support of Montrose FC’s chairman Derek Sim who described the use of energy drinks by young people as “concerning”.
He said: “We are fully behind The Courier’s Can It campaign. As a local, provincial club we take our community responsibility very seriously.
“We understand that between our fan base and our charity arm we have the opportunity to raise awareness and influence in a positive way the behaviour of many young people in and around the Montrose area.”
All secondary schools in Angus are also in support of the Can It campaign, which was prompted by Forfar Academy introducing a ban on the drinks.
The school’s head teacher Melvyn Lynch said problems at the school as a result of the high caffeine and high sugar beverages ranged from pupils falling asleep in class to facing up to staff.
The health risks have also been highlighted by Montrose FC’s club doctor Peter Strachan.
He said: “The health risks associated with these energy drinks need to be shared more widely and we should all be discouraging their use amongst our younger generation.
“Professional football players are idolised by many young kids and so seeing the club support this campaign is a very positive step forward.”
The Courier’s Can It campaign has also won support at the Scottish Parliament and at various other secondary schools in Tayside and Fife.
