January Campaign: Dry January
Dry January (now in its fourth year) is the annual campaign co-ordinated by Alcohol Concern, which encourages people to abstain from alcohol throughout the month of January.
The campaign provides people with the perfect opportunity to reassess their drinking habits, especially directly after the festive period when many individuals overindulge. If you are someone you know has decided to drink less alcohol as a New Year’s resolution, signing up to Dry January can be the ideal way to kick start this goal for 2017.
There are a range of benefits which individuals have experienced by taking part in previous Dry January campaigns:
79% of participants saved money
By abstaining from just a few glasses of wine or pints of beer a week could save you around £50 during the month.
62% of participants had more energy and slept better
Every day, around 200,000 people go to work with a hangover. A month off the booze could result in a more peaceful night’s sleep giving you more energy in the morning.
49% of participants lost weight
Alcohol contains a lot of calories – a pint of cider is approximately the same amount of calories as a jam doughnut! By avoiding alcohol for 30 days you could lose weight and create a healthier version of you.
You can sign up to Dry January through the Alcohol Concern website, and ask your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you throughout the challenge. Alcohol Concern is a national charity committed to reducing problems caused by alcohol. By taking part in Dry January you are also doing your bit to create a society in which alcohol does no harm.
If you want to raise awareness of Dry January within your college, community setting or workplace, we have a number of options to support you to do this. Our Development Officers can deliver in-depth educational sessions or informal health events to raise awareness amongst students or staff. Whereas our free Community Health Information displays are ideal for passers-by to take information at their leisure. Contact us today to find out how we can support you.