Dawn's work aims to tackle drug and alcohol issues by identifying and responding to community needs, and his role is to Co-Ordinate the staff team, and to carry out drugs awareness and education work in the Lurgan area and its hinterlands.

DAWN are funded by the Southern Drugs And Alcohol Co-Ordination Team, delivering programmes to parents and young people, unaccredited and accredited training, providing support to those who are directly and indirectly affected by drugs issues, across the wider Craigavon,and Banbridge areas..

This week the group launched a new report into the use of Cocaine across the Southern area. Representatives from statutory, voluntary and community organisations from across the southern area, attended the launch, in the Armagh City Hotel.

Commissioned by the Southern Health and Social Services Board (SHSSB) via the Southern Drugs and Alcohol Co-ordination Team, the report is in support of the New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs 2006-2011.

The investigation was carried out across the five main areas of Dungannon, Portadown, Lurgan, Banbridge and Newry.

What is your most vivid childhood memory?

My most vivid memory from my younger days would be going to Derrytrasna on a Saturday evening to visit my grandparents Edward and Susan Fearnon who lived on Fearnon's Rampart, down towards the Bannfoot and Charlestown. The journey from Portadown seemed to take ages, even if it was just a matter of minutes. And when there the crack was always good, with plenty of tea and biscuits, and good humour. The picture of the old stone building with its thatched roof hangs proudly in our living room, and smells like lamp oil, and burning turf all fill my mind with happy memories from those days.

What did you enjoy most about your early school days?

I really loved school in the early days, I can remember on my first day, I ushered my mum out the door and told her to go on home, that I was fine, as I got stuck into the sand pit. I was very lucky to have some excellent teachers in St. John The Baptist's in Portadown, Miss Quinn, then Miss O'Reilly who really encouraged me in my learning, and then Mr Fleming who was great, in terms of the singalongs we had in class but he had a big influence in getting me through the dreaded "11 plus". I really enjoyed Maths and developed a real fascination for its various strands, until the science bits kicked in, which put me off it to some extent.

What sport do you enjoy playing or watching?

In my youth, I attempted to play both gaelic football and soccer. I played in a few North Armagh Under-Age Championship Finals, for Tir na nOg, my hometown club. I was never that good, but really enjoyed it. Nowadays, I restrict myself to the odd game of 5 a-side, known better to the players as fatball, where I enjoy the banter and the craic.