24 schools from across 10 London boroughs are preparing to dazzle at Hackney Empire in the London heats of the 2008 Rock Challenge.®

Spectacular dance, drama and music performances will take place on Tuesday 29 April, Wednesday 30 April and Thursday 1 May 2008 as schools compete with professionally-produced eight-minute productions on a theme of their choice, set to commercially available rock music. Team sizes range from between 10 to 134 seven to eighteen-year-olds.

The London school children join thousands of young people across the UK wowing audiences nationwide, as they sign up to this international programme which encourages young people to lead healthy lifestyles and be their best without tobacco, alcohol or drugs.

Large numbers of London schools have become involved in the last year as The Rock Challenge® takes off in the UK. Each child has to sign a contract when they join up - to pledge that they won't use drugs.

For the first year ever, there will be a London junior event. Nine primary schools will perform their productions at Hackney Empire, on Wednesday 30 April.

Genesis Community, the charitable arm of Genesis Housing Group, has donated £10,000 towards supporting the Rock Challenge®. It has also provided office space and the support of their senior youth ambassadors who have helped at events. The Be Your Best Foundation raises the overall funds to produce it. It builds p artnerships in each participating community by involving students, teachers, parents, local business, police forces, community leaders, statutory and government agencies and the media.

The Rock Challenge® finals take place at Portsmouth Guildhall on 22 and 23 May.

The 2008 Rock Challenge ® will finish off this year's heats by collaborating with partner, The Big Dance to hold a massive dance outside the Lord Mayor of London 's office, hosted by the Mayor, on 8 July 2008. The aim is to inspire more people to take part in dance - and anyone can join in. The event will see mass participation by people from all over the UK and plans for live video link-ups with Rock Challenge® participants from around the world are underway.

Hans Emblad, former Director of the World Health Organization's Substance Abuse Programme, said "In my 30 or 40 years of experience of combating drug, alcohol or tobacco misuse, this is by far the most effective preventative action I have come across, one of the very few preventative activities to have a proven record of being successful, and I think anybody who considers these problems important in the world and have the possibility and the means to make a contribution should seriously consider supporting the Rock Challenge."

Iain Mackechnie-Jarvis, Head of Genesis Community, said "This worldwide event is a superb initiative that not only provides stunning entertainment for audiences, but most importantly is changing the way young people see themselves and equipping them with essential skills to become responsible, fulfilled adults. This is exactly the kind of partnership working Genesis Community is proud to be a part of."

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London regional heats take place at Hackney Empire between 7pm and 10pm on

Tuesday 29, Wednesday 30 April (junior) and Thursday 1 May 2008

Book tickets by calling Hackney Empire Box Office: 020 89852 424

For further information, case studies and images, please contact:

Diana Evans on 020 8150 4178 / diana.evans@ghg.org.uk

Visit www.rockchallenge.co.uk/ for more information on the Be Your Best Foundation's Rock Challenge®

Notes to Editors

The Rock Challenge® is a drug and crime prevention vehicle that comes in the form of a performing arts competition for primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. It was introduced into the UK by Hampshire Constabulary in 1996 and is produced by the Be Your Best Foundation, a registered charity. The focus of this friendly competition is on young people leading healthy lifestyles and being their best without the need for tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.

The Rock Challenge® began in Australia in 1980 and events are also being held in Australia , New Zealand , South Africa , Dubai , Germany and Japan.

In 1996, 500 students from 11 schools took part in the first Rock Challenge ® event in Portsmouth . It has since swept through UK schools and colleges to the extent that this year there will be over 18,000 young people from more than 300 schools competing in 38 events throughout England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Regularly-conducted evaluations show proven benefits above and beyond the original aims and objectives. In particular, the Rock Challenge® delivers outcomes in line with current government thinking and policy, specifically with the outcomes sought from the Every Child Matters Children's agenda.

The vision of the Be Your Best Foundation is to contribute to improving the quality of life for all of society by encouraging young people to take an active role in building safe and healthy communities.

Rock Challenge® UK is part of the Global Rock Challenge™ and is the Foundation's main activity every year for promoting this cause. The functions of the Be Your Best Foundation in relation to The Rock Challenge® are to: (a) secure national and local, statutory, commercial and charitable funding for the event; (b) facilitate the formation of partnerships between relevant national and local commercial and charitable agencies; and (c) build suitable networks through which The Rock Challenge® can be extended towards the interim target of involving 500 schools by 2010.

These functions continue throughout the year and lead up to the production of the Rock Challenge® events that take place annually between February and June. The Rock Challenge® could not operate throughout the country without the financial support and expertise of the Foundation.

The Rock Challenge® delivers anti-drug and crime-prevention messages to the heart of teenage culture by using music, dance, fashion and media images that are familiar and attractive to large numbers of young people.

The event captures the imagination of young people, providing them with an exciting and unique opportunity to experience the 'drug-free high' of performing in a supportive and professional environment with over 100 of their fellow school students, rehearsing in a supportive and professional environment and in the company of from 500 to over 1000 of their contemporaries, before then going on to perform their piece in an evening show that is often played to sell-out audiences.

Feedback from participating schools indicates that the use of tobacco products, alcohol and other drugs is reduced or stops entirely among participating students.

Genesis Community was set up in 2005 by Genesis Housing Group. It is a charitable foundation created to fulfill Genesis Housing Group's commitments to address the challenges of deprivation and social exclusion in disadvantaged areas. Projects delivered by Genesis Community focus on the key themes of young people, vulnerable and elderly people, safer communities, financial inclusion and training and employment.

With over 50 projects running in over 15 boroughs across London and the south east, Genesis Community has built a reputation as an exceptional project partner and as an innovative provider of community initiatives. Visit www.ghg.org.uk/Genesis+Community/ for further information.

Genesis Community's Youth Ambassador apprenticeship programme was set up in 2006 when four young people who had a desire to become youth workers and obtain a youth work qualification, were recruited by Genesis Community. Two of these have now become Senior Youth Ambassadors and Genesis Community will recruit two new Youth Ambassadors. The vision for the ambassador programme is that eventually it will be run and managed by the youth ambassadors themselves.

Genesis Housing Group provides homes and services to tens of thousands of people across London and the south east. The Group consists of PCHA, Pathmeads and Springboard housing associations, as well as Genesis Community, its charitable arm. It is one of the largest and most successful housing groups in the UK, owning and/or managing more than 40,000 homes. Its overriding aim is to put customers first and to provide excellent service to all. Please visit www.ghg.org.uk/ for further information.