Chorley Council – Alcohol, It’s no excuse

This is a Christmas campaign to increase public awareness of alcohol and domestic violence which so often go hand in hand, especially over the festive period when people’s alcohol consumption rises sharply. The chief component is beer mats to be distributed among licensed premises which feature information and eye-catching images regarding the above, one side tackling domestic violence and the other alcohol. The alcohol side lists potential harms caused by excessive drinking, provides unit information and points people to local services. It is hoped that the “It’s no excuse” slogan will also communicate the joint messages that no case of domestic abuse should be condoned because of any part played by alcohol and that all such instances must still be reported. It is hoped that they will reach some 200,000 people and that the campaign will be rolled out more widely in the future.
 

Hampshire County Council – Piss Up

This is an acronym standing for providing information, support and strategies and understanding people. The work is coordinated by a youth service and covers almost every aspect of alcohol education by inviting all, willing relevant local organizations to participate. In this instance, Drinkaware donated a small sum towards a gazebo carrying various sensible drinking slogans, which is just one part of a multi-faceted display located in Fleet town centre to guarantee high visibility at the times when dangerous drinking is at its peak. The gazebo attracts the attention of young people, allowing the other organizations to distribute literature, provide information on alcohol and make the public aware of local services. They also intend to gather useful data for a survey on local drinking behaviour to inform future projects in the area.

Trelya Youth Project – Safeliving

This innovative pilot project disseminates healthy living messages regarding alcohol to young people via a series of different text messages. Each one comprises a mini-film, specially designed to make the viewer laugh and, therefore, engage. It is expected that recipients take the health messaging on board because this resource amuses them and holds their attention longer than most other campaigning materials, with the result that they send them to friends and spread the alcohol messages further afield. These twenty second films, targeting eighteen to twenty-four year-olds, were also made by young people from the area who are known to Trelya and who, through the creative process, receive alcohol awareness training. Having reached around six hundred individuals, the eventual aim will be to increase the scope of the project if this first run proves successful.

Lancashire Constabulary – Operation Shepherd

This is a campaign to reduce alcohol related crime and disorder over Christmas with particular emphasis on cutting alcohol related violence and robbery as well as underage sales. This grant is to fund a series of radio adverts, aimed at fifteen to forty-four year-olds, promoting sensible drinking while enjoying alcohol over the festive period. Operation Shepherd also includes an awareness building minisite which can be easily accessed from the website of the radio station running the adverts. It is hoped that anything up to seventy-five thousand individuals across Lancashire will be reached by the campaign.

Nottingham Trent University Students Union – Drinkaware Campaign

Here Drinkaware made a small donation to the printing of T-shirts carrying safe drinking messages, to be worn by the union’s campaign team in campus venues, and on student nights  in other affiliated clubs and pubs. They hope to reach up to 12000 students, with particular focus on freshers enjoying their first taste of true freedom. Campaigners will not approach drinkers, but will simply make themselves visible and carry leaflets and other materials for people to pick up if they wish -  they effectively function as walking posters. With Drinkaware’s assistance, the Union is not only educating students about alcohol harms but also have a resource which they can reuse.

Midlothian Drug and Alcohol Action Team – You Don’t Have to Be Young to Binge Drink

This campaign comprises posters aimed at over-25s and has the dual aims of tackling entrenched drinking habits and dispelling the myth that alcohol binges are the preserve of young people. This is achieved through the  strapline, which is the same as the project title, and the images of people from this age-group innocently drinking with no consideration for the harm they are doing to themselves. It is hoped that through wide distribution of the poster, the target age-group will take the message on board and pass it on to their children. Drinkaware contributed to the printing and design of this resource, which may well be reused in the future and could underpin later initiatives involving the distribution of more detailed information.

Redcar and Cleveland PCT – Drug and Alcohol Awareness day (DAAD)

This event is the culmination of the area’s summer Nightsafe campaign and links it with Christmas work. Many alcohol awareness activities take place on the day, but Drinkaware specifically funded graffiti art work with young people and the subsequent printing of resources. These are educational sessions tackling alcohol’s hidden harms, such as its abuse in the home and the consequences of dangerous drinking. The idea is to turn graffiti on its head by using this commonly frowned upon, negative  art form to convey positive messages. The young people’s designs will then be made up in to posters and information cards which will be distributed in the area to promote key issues around underage drinking and ensure campaigning continuity for the rest of 2007.

Rochdale MBC Youth Centre – Community Challenge

The challenge is for people of all ages to design awareness building materials regarding the links between alcohol and sexual health based on research published in the local press. The same article invites people to assist with art projects for several groups of young people who must also come up with their own designs, having recently received six to eight weeks of alcohol awareness training. All contributions will go into the mix with the best being chosen as the design for campaigning materials, leaflets and posters, which will be distributed among schools, youth provision and other community facilities. The young participants receive Duke of Edinburgh certificates while all other contributors can win a prize. Drinkaware made a general contribution to the printing of the final materials.

Hertfordshire Young People’s Substance Misuse and Crime Prevention Team – 100% Hangover Free

The above project title is in fact a brand, aimed at eleven- to eighteen-year-olds, that will be attached to various upcoming initiatives planned for the county to combat alcohol misuse. Drinkaware's donation allowed the Hertfordshire team to produce various branded resources promoting the benefits of being 100% hangover free. These serve both to kick-start the holistic usage of the brand and spread general knowledge of alcohol and sensible drinking to thousands of people.