RACHEL VIDEO 'NOT JUST SHOCK TACTICS'

The video gives an inside view of Rachel's life The government says it
wants schools to use shock tactics in drugs education in England's schools
- - and disturbing pictures of the death of 21-year-old heroin addict Rachel
Whitear will form part of that agenda.

But a teacher involved in trial viewings of the 22-minute video about
Rachel's demise tells BBC News Online why it is wrong to think the video is
just about shocking images.

Last autumn 20 sixth formers at Lady Hawkins School in Kington,
Herefordshire were asked to watch the video, Rachel's Story, to see how
they responded to the contents.

"At the end of the tape, the students just sat there in stunned silence for
two or three minutes," said head of sixth form Jim Rogers.

But Mr Rogers believes that what makes the film so stunning is the way in
which it draws viewers into Rachel's life.

He said: "The most powerful part of the video is the 20 minutes finding out
about her life from high school onwards.

"Her life is described through the eyes of her friends and family - you see
her playing the piano, you hear how she and a friend talked about having
children when they were older.

"So by the end of those 20 minutes, anyone who's watched it will feel they
know her and can relate very easily to her and to her friends.

"The police photos of Rachel's body found in a bedsit after she'd been dead
for two or three days then come at the end.

"That's why it's so effective, because you feel you know her.

"The power of it is in her story - not just the photographs," he said.

Council production

Rachel's Story has been produced by Herefordshire County Council, with the
help and support of the student's parents Pauline and Michael Holcroft.

"We're still in the process of putting together the support material which
teachers will have when they deliver the video," said director of education
Eddie Oram.

"We are still carrying out the final editing of the video itself so it has
the most impact."

Mr Rogers welcomed the Department for Education's plans to issue the video
to all secondary schools in England.

"It got the clear thumbs up from our students and we would definitely show
it further down the school.

"It will be a very successful campaign - yes, it's very shocking, but
mainly because you feel you know the girl."