Grass roots anti-drug campaigners are planning to hold a rally in Somerset on the day of the End To End charity walk.

Bermudians Against Narcotics (BAN) spokesman Takbir Sharrieff said the all-day event would take place opposite Somerset Cricket Club from 11 a.m. until dark on May 6.

Organisers hope it will attract some of the walkers taking part in the Island-wide hike.

BAN has been largely out of the public eye since a similar awareness rally in St. George?s in February, although Mr. Sharrieff said campaigners were preparing for a busy summer.

The spokesman said that crime and drugs-related events that had occurred since the previous rally showed the country needed to be ?serious about the drugs situation?.

Mr. Sharrieff remained tight-lipped on the full line-up for the Somerset rally, which will include politicians. He said more details would be revealed soon.

However, he did confirm that two key speakers from the ?I Can?t We Can? drugs rehabilitation centre in Baltimore ? who spoke about the dangers of drugs at the St. George?s event ? will be returning to Bermuda to hammer home their message next month.

Mr. Sharrieff also said that he and Minister of National Drug Control, Wayne Perinchief, had recently visited the Baltimore treatment centre to see how it could help tackle Bermuda?s drug problem.

February?s rally, attended by more than 120 people, heard how the spiritual-based programme had helped 9,000 addicts since 1997, with 6,750 of them staying clean and sober.

In February, BAN said that the plan was for the US speakers, Imam Saafir Rabb and Israel Cason, to return to the US along with one of Bermuda?s many addicts to start treatment. And the aim was to assist many more in future.