Welcome to the Alcohol Change UK June newsletter
Read on to find out more about our new research on online alcohol sales, conducted by Wrexham Glyndwr University. Plus get more information on our New Horizons research programme, see a round-up of the Sober Spring campaign, read the latest alcohol news and more.
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Overhaul of ‘ineffective’ online alcohol sales needed
A new report from Wrexham Glyndŵr University, funded by us, has highlighted the ease with which underage drinkers can buy alcohol online. It con cludes that little confidence should be placed in current measures used by retailers to prevent underage purchasers buying alcohol online, and makes a series of recommendations as to how retailers and the Government could implement more effective measures.
You can read a blog about this report by the researchers here.
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New Horizons grants programme – call for applications closing 31 July
There are five weeks left to apply for our New Horizons grant funding programme. We are calling for proposals on the theme of 'Groups, Communities and Alcohol Harm'.
We are particularly interested in proposals from multi-disciplinary teams and for work that involves varied perspectives, and applications from teams including researchers with expertise beyond alcohol studies are especially welcome. We'd be pleased to help researchers find third sector or practitioner partners – please get in touch if you'd like to discuss your ideas.
If you would like to discuss the call, or if you have any queries about the programme, please email [email protected].
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It's the end of Sober Spring!
This year we teamed up again with bestselling author Catherine Gray to bring you Sober Spring – a three-month break from alcohol. This year’s campaign coincided almost perfectly with the UK’s tightest lockdown restrictions, which may have brought additional challenges to participants. Whether it was easy or difficult, we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part this year! Changing your drinking habits amid a pandemic is no easy feat.
Throughout Sober Spring we published many thought-provoking blogs, covering subjects like sober dating and sex, parenting, managing anxiety and alcohol and masculinity. Guest authors included DJ Santero, author Lisa Smith, Samantha Moyo and Lauren Booker. There was even an interview with Made in Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews.
You can revisit all these, as well as many other interesting reads, on our blog.
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Our response to the Black Lives Matter movement
We stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. But spoken solidarity is not enough. Our response as a charity must involve deep, sustained change. There is much that we can, must and will do better to ensure we are actively anti-racist in all we do.
We have published a statement from our Chief Executive, Dr Richard Piper, with several commitments to change – though these do not yet go far enough. We welcome your criticism, feedback and suggestions to help us do better.
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Coronavirus: alcohol information and advice hub
Lockdown in the UK is slowly starting to lift, which can bring with it new anxieties. On our website we have created a coronavirus hub with information and advice about alcohol during this time. It is being updated regularly with the latest information, links to remote support services, resources for professionals in the alcohol treatment sector, tips for looking after your mental health and more.
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Easy ways to support us
Our research into drinking during lockdown showed that the heaviest drinkers are drinking more during this time. Help us be there for everyone who needs us. Here are just a couple of easy ways to support Alcohol Change UK during lockdown:
- Sign up to Amazon Smile or Give as You Live and select Alcohol Change UK as your preferred charity. Every purchase you make will generate a donation to us at no extra cost to you.
- Could you make catching up with friends a fundraising activity at the same time? You could hold a virtual coffee morning or a quiz and ask those who are able to make a small donation.
Whatever you can do will make a real difference.
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Drug and alcohol referrals 'down 57% since lockdown'
Drug and alcohol addiction referrals have fallen by 57% during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Kaleidoscope. The charity, which covers the Gwent area, Powys and north Wales, says each region has seen a drop in referrals. The Welsh Government said in response that services had "adapted rapidly" during the pandemic, with online consultations and psychological support available.
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A quarter of UK adults 'are drinking more than they were before lockdown'
A poll from Action on Addiction has found that a quarter of UK drinkers have reported drinking more than they did prior to the Covid-19 crisis. Of these, 15 per cent said they were experiencing physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms as well as problems relating to relationships, work, money or sleep.
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Minimum pricing in Scotland credited for fall in alcohol sales
Alcohol sales from supermarkets and off licences in Scotland fell by 4-5% compared to England and Wales in the year after minimum unit pricing (MUP) was introduced. An analysis by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow compared data on alcohol sales with England and Wales (Wales had not at this point introduced MUP). It found that overall sales fell in Scotland, with the biggest reductions occurring among drinks that had been the cheapest before MUP was introduced.
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Freddie's story: "My dad's name was Huw. He was an alcoholic poet."
Fifteen years after his dad's death, Freddie was given a stack of poems his dad had written. These poems, and the film he made about them, were Freddie's way to get to know a side of his dad he'd never seen.
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Sharing ideas for Alcohol Awareness Week
In this blog we set out just some of the activities that were organized for Alcohol Awareness Week in 2019 – from MarioKart challenges to information leaflets about brief interventions.
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