WILTSHIRE Rotary Clubs are helping to keep youngsters off drugs by sending out a strong message about the dangers of substance abuse.

Clubs from Trowbridge, Melksham and Bradford on Avon are helping to run a mobile advice unit which is stopping off at schools in the area.

Run under the name Life Education Centres (Wiltshire), the unit holds a wide range of information about health and drug prevention, which is handed out and explained by a specialist educator.

Rotary school liaison officer Frank Garbutt said: "We started in earnest in January this year and have already visited about 50 schools.

"The feedback we are receiving is excellent and most ask to book up for the following year.

"Demand is such that we are having a second educator trained and she will officially join the team in January 2004."

Wiltshire Local Education Authority still funds the mobile unit but offered Rotary the chance to run it when it became redundant two years ago.

Mr Garbutt said: "A group of local Rotarians got together, took on the management and raised initial grant support from local charities and rotary clubs.

"The LEA left us the unit free of charge and gave us support and encouragement."

Educators have to go through a three-month intensive course before they can start.

The quality of the advice they give was praised in the last Ofsted report on drug education.

Hilperton Primary School's science co-ordinator, Ann Gillam, said: "It was really excellent. All the children present in the school over the last two days took part.

"It uses a proven method and does not attempt to scare the children."

Earlier this month, Rotary members had a chance to see how the mobile unit works during a meeting at Trowbridge Civic Hall, and a £1,000 cheque was presented to help fund the project.

Life Education Centres is a charity launched in Britain by Prince Charles 17 years ago.

There are now nearly 70 mobile classrooms nationwide, working with 750,000 children a year. It is one of Rotary International's projects, owned and managed by local trusts.

To help fund the project, the club has forged partnerships with corporate sponsors.