July Campaign – ‘Fun in the Sun’: Holiday Safety
Our July campaign is underway, and this year we are focussing on holiday safety and having fun in the sun!
For some people holidays are the perfect opportunity to relax, and overindulging on alcohol is par for the course. However, on a hot day, alcohol isn’t necessarily the best drink to reach for to quench a thirst.
Our body’s cool themselves through sweating, and the water lost through sweat needs to be replaced. Alcohol can dehydrate you even more, so there is a risk of developing heat exhaustion or even worse – heat stroke! If you’ve been in the sun and you need a refreshing drink, why not opt for a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail? Or at the very least, alternate any alcoholic drinks with a soft drink or water.
It might sound like common sense, but alcohol and water don’t mix. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions so you’re more likely to take risks that you wouldn’t if you were sober. Alcohol also affects your co-ordination and breathing, so swimming or taking part in water activities can be really dangerous if you’ve drunk alcohol. To keep safe, stick to the beach if you choose to drink alcohol and never swim at night.
If you’re going on holiday this summer, whether in the U.K or abroad, we want you to have an enjoyable and safe trip. Here are some simple safety tips, to ensure you have fun in the sun:
- Never carry items for other people in your luggage. If you’re caught, you will be the one in trouble
- Make sure you have adequate travel insurance. If you end up in hospital it could be very costly without it
- Always stay with your group and tell other people where you’re going
- Find out about unsafe areas from your hotel so you know where to avoid
- Never carry all your currency or cards with you
- Drink sizes can be bigger in foreign countries than in the UK, so pace yourself when you’re on a night out
- Activities like tombstoning might look like fun but the consequences can be serious, especially if you’ve drunk alcohol or taken drugs
Our educational sessions, health events, awareness assemblies and community health information displays help promote holiday safety within your school, college, community location or workplace.
This July, you can view our displays at Marston Green, Chelmsley Wood, Dickens Heath, Knowle, Hobs Moat, Balsall Common, Castle Bromwich and Kingshurst Libraries. Also, Employment Plus centres in Oldbury and Nechells, as well as two pharmacies in the Solihull area have taken advantage of this free scheme. Contact us today to find out how we can help you!