Tell your friends not to drink drive this festive period – says latest THINK! campaign starting today (7 December 2017).

For this year’s campaign, which runs to January 1 (2018), THINK! has teamed up with Kiss FM duo Rickie and Melvin, who will be urging young adults to encourage their friends not to get behind the wheel after drinking.

The radio presenters will also front videos for Kiss FM’s social media channels, with its audience almost a third more likely than the average person to enjoy a night out in a pub.

A further radio advert, which will run in England and Wales, uses the message “mates don’t let mates drink and drive”, playing on the fact friends will say anything to each other, except to stop them from drink driving.

Road Safety Minister Jesse Norman said:

Driving even while below the legal limit is becoming increasingly socially unacceptable, with more and more people choosing to turn down drinking any alcohol when they plan to drive. But even so there are still some drivers who are willing to take the risk.

Friends, colleagues and family members can positively influence those around them. So we are calling on them to stop potential drink drivers from getting behind the wheel and risking tragedy this Christmas.

Rickie Haywood Williams said:

We feel we owe it to our audience to share such an important message. Me and Melv grew up together, we look out for each other and we want to spread the word to our listeners to do the same.

Melvin Odoom continued:

Rickie will always be there for me on a night out and vice versa. Drink driving awareness is something that needs to be out in front at all times. The campaign is designed to shine a light on the issue and we want to help us much as we can to stop people making the wrong decision.

Police forces across England and Wales are also taking part in enforcement action throughout December and on January 1.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Roads Policing, Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said:

Every year police forces deal with cases of drink or drug driving that directly result in families facing Christmas without loves ones. Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs in your system can affect your ability to drive safely – don’t let your friends and family pay the price.

Police forces are running targeted operations across the country to enforce the law on drink and drug driving: you can face an unlimited fine, disqualification for driving, and a long prison sentence.

In October, it was the 50th anniversary of the breathalyser test. Last December (2016), 89,138 motorists were tested and 5,869 were found to be over the drink drive limit.

In England last year, more than half of car drivers who were involved in a crash and failed a breath test were aged up to 34.

THINK! has also teamed up with a number of partners including Arriva Buses, which is offering free bus journeys to either home or work the morning after a night out, and Budweiser, which is launching a new alcohol-free beer to coincide with the campaign.

LADbible will also be creating videos for its social media channel and Diageo will be marking the 5 millionth person to sign up to its drink drive pledge.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is also promoting its cold water shock film, which delivers a hard-hitting message designed to make people think twice before entering the water. Coastguard statistics reveal that on average around 50 people die of alcohol-related drowning around the coast of the UK each year. Of these, a significant percentage are young men who end up in the water as they make their way home.

Network Rail, British Transport Police and Rail Safety Standards Board will also be launching an alcohol awareness campaign next week reminding the public to “keep a clear head” when they are around the railway. The organisations will also be targeting Christmas revellers at the busiest railway stations as well as in pubs and clubs located near railways stations and level crossings.

MAIB’s report on 2 explosions of gas released from a cargo of unprocessed incinerator bottom ash on Nortrader while at anchorage in Plymouth Sound on 13 January 2017 is now published.

The report contains details of what happened, subsequent actions taken and recommendations: read more.

A safety flyer for the shipping industry summarising the accident and detailing the safety lessons learned has also been produced.

We disagree with the US decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital before a final status agreement. We believe it is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region. The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv and we have no plans to move it.

Our position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. In line with relevant Security Council Resolutions, we regard East Jerusalem as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

We share President Trump’s desire to bring an end to this conflict. We welcome his commitment today to a two-state solution negotiated between the parties, and note the importance of his clear acknowledgement that the final status of Jerusalem, including the sovereign boundaries within the city, must be subject to negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

We encourage the US Administration to now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settlement.

To have the best chances of success, the peace process must be conducted in an atmosphere free from violence. We call on all parties to work together to maintain calm.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar discussed the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and UK commitment to restoring devolved Government to Northern Ireland.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has joined farmer Robert Morgan from Three Crosses, Swansea as the grower’s fir tree was lit outside No10 Downing Street today (6 December).

Robert received the most votes from fellow growers to win the British Tree Growers Association (BTGA) ‘Grower of the Year’ title, and will now provide the 18ft 6” Christmas tree to adorn the front of the Prime Minister’s home.

Trees will have been nurtured for more than 10 years to reach competition height of between 1.4m and 2.2m from base to tip. They are judged on their foliage, colour, shape and marketability.

Robert was runner up ‘Grower of the Year’ in 2014, and provided a Nordman fir for the pillared state dining room inside No10. His family have been in the sheep and cattle farming industry for five generations, and started planting Christmas trees in 1996.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

This is a fantastic achievement and is a wonderful way of recognising the hard work that Robert and his family have put in over the last twenty years to produce award-winning Christmas trees.

Small business owners like Robert represent an important part of the Welsh economy, and the UK Government is determined to make sure these businesses have the support they need to grow and be successful, and are rewarded for their dedication.

I’m proud that a Welsh-grown tree has been chosen for this accolade, and wish Robert and his family a Merry Christmas and extend my warmest congratulations to them on this unforgettable day.

Robert Morgan of Gower Fresh Christmas trees said:

I look forward to our visit to Downing Street today, and my seven year old son Lloyd is especially excited. The tree at Downing Street was one of the first planted at our farm on the Gower, after deciding to venture into the Christmas tree market.

It’s a fitting tribute that this tree, which is almost 20 years old, is here today to signify the years of hard work which has gone in to producing our Christmas trees.