1. PRESS RELEASE
Date: 19 November 2009
Youngsters urged to practice safer sex over festive season
NHS Warwickshire’s Public Health Team has launched a campaign urging
youngsters to take a responsible attitude to sex over the festive season.
Statistics show that more teenagers get pregnant in December and January
than any other time of the year at a time when a combination of partying and
alcohol can lead to risky behaviour.
Warwickshire’s Respect Yourself Campaign is supporting the ‘Have fun. Be
Careful’ message and supporting NHS Warwickshire and other partners to
deliver a festive campaign in Nuneaton and Bedworth.
One thousand “Christmas cracker” postcards bearing condoms will be
distributed at the offices of local training providers, the charity Barnado’s,
North Warwickshire and Hinckley College and the Youth and Community
service in Camphill.
The postcards, which show a Christmas cracker and bear the message “Have
fun. Be careful”, have been produced by Brook Advisory Centres.
Alison Boffin, Health Development Officer at NHS Warwickshire, said: “The
combination of a party atmosphere and drinking alcohol may lead some
young people to risky behaviour during this festive period.

2. “We want young people to have fun over the festive season – but also to take
care of themselves, stay in control, be prepared and be responsible.”
You can find out more about your choices, contraception and sexual health
services in Warwickshire at the website www.respectyourself.info
When thinking about having fun and being careful, Warwickshire’s Respect
Yourself Campaign key messages are:
• It’s OK to say NO when someone suggests you have sex;
• If you do have sex make sure it is safer sex – using a condom or
femidom;
• If you have sex and use no protection, you may be at risk of sexually
transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy.
NHS Warwickshire also wants to remind youngsters about the availability of a
free, confidential postal test kit for Chlamydia – the most common sexually
transmitted disease in the UK. One in ten women and men under the age of
25 who are tested has the condition. Left untreated Chlamydia can lead to
infertility. For a free test kit visit www.freetest.me or phone the Warwickshire
Chlamydia Screening Team on 02476 349460
The Brook postcards state: “Just so you know, more teenagers get pregnant
in December and January than any other time of the year. If you’re going to
have sex this festive season, please don’t forget to use contraception and
always carry a condom.”
** Ends **
NOTE TO PICTURE EDITORS: NHS Warwickshire health development
officers Alison Boffin and Tracey Kahrman – together with a giant Christmas

3. cracker - will be available for a photo shoot opportunity on Friday, November
20, from 9.30am to 12.30pm, at Newtown Road Centre, Newtown Road,
Nuneaton (next to the bus station). Alison Boffin can be contacted on 02476
382963.
For further information:
Jonathan Sharp
Communications
NHS Warwickshire
Tel: 01926 493491 ext: 486