Ten years of helping people make better choices about their drinking
Alcohol education charity Drinkaware has reached an important milestone and is celebrating its 10 year anniversary.
Set up as an independent charity in 2007, Drinkaware has worked with a wide range of partners from the alcohol industry, night time economy and sporting venues to public health and academic communities, police and government to help reduce alcohol-related harm.
Drinkaware provides impartial evidence based information and advice and every year supports thousands of people from all walks of life to monitor and change their behaviour, and that of the people that they care for, around alcohol. Through apps, tools and the website, people are given the best information available to help them make better drinking choices.
The charity has also developed on the ground support and initiatives such as the highly successful Drinkaware Crew scheme where specially trained bar and venue staff interact with clubbers and support young people who might be vulnerable as a result of drinking too much. Currently there are Crews operating in 13 cities across the UK, including London following a recent launch in Shoreditch.
We have recently piloted the unique Drinkaware Intervention and Brief Advice (IBA) kit through pharmacies, Health Champions and supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda. In 2017 we will also be launching our Drinkaware for Employers, work place alcohol education training and e-learning course, design to embed alcohol awareness in the UK's workforce. Both are great examples of the charity’s tireless commitment to developing new and innovative ways to get out into the community to deliver information and support directly to people.
Elaine Hindal, Drinkaware Chief Executive, said:
“Drinkaware has worked tirelessly over the last decade to reduce alcohol-related harm. Through our campaigns to raise awareness of the harms associated with alcohol as well as through our interventions and innovations such as Drinkaware Crew and the Drinkaware app we have supported the nation to make better choices about their drinking.
“As we look back on the past ten years there is much to be celebrated but looking forward we are conscious that there is still a great deal of work to be done.
“Drinkaware is always here to help people and to give them all the information and support they need in order to make better choices about their drinking.”