Take a month out from alcohol in Dry January

Bury Council is supporting the 2015 Dry January campaign which is a venture led by Alcohol Concern and supported by Public Health England.

Dry January encourages people to take a month out from alcohol and enjoy the benefits from having a break from drinking. The campaign launched on Friday 19 December and aims to encourage people to stop drinking together for one month from 1 January 2015 and providing a range of support and encouragement via www.dryjanuary.org.uk

Health bosses say that taking a ‘holiday from booze’ after the Christmas period is beneficial for people’s wallet, waistline and general health.

Dry January participants can sign up to a new online game and receive a wealth of support and knowledge to help monitor their progress throughout the month. Launched on 1 January, the game includes an interactive quiz, an online mocktail bar with alcohol-free recipes as well as calorie and units-saved counters. The interactive experience will allow participants to challenge themselves and their friends to complete a Dry January in more ways than ever.

By taking part in the game, participants will help Marty the Martian save up alcohol units throughout January to fuel his ship and make it home, unlocking a number of awards and challenges along the way.

People who feel they might struggle to give up alcohol for one month can access advice and support from local community-based volunteers. This includes information around safe levels of drinking and tips for cutting down.

The service is run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Addiction Dependency Solutions (ADS). People can contact the team of volunteers on 0845 071 0699.

People who are worried that their drinking is affecting their health or relationships can access dedicated support from Bury’s One Recovery service, delivered by ADS. The One Recovery team can be contacted on 0161 253 6488.

ENDS

Issued: 19 December 2014.

Notes to editors:

Alcohol-related mortality for males and females in Bury has increased over the past few years, with a particularly sharp rise for females. This campaign will encourage people to take stock of what they are drinking and make changes over a short period of time that may help them to lose weight, save money, and generally feel better about themselves.

One Recovery is an integrated substance misuse recovery service.  Find out more by visiting: http://www.adsolutions.org.uk/

The Bury health trainers, from Pennine Care, offer motivational support for people wanting to make healthy lifestyle changes e.g. healthy eating, weight management, increasing physical activity, improving sleep, stopping smoking, drinking sensibly and support with breastfeeding. Find out more at https://www.penninecare.nhs.uk/your-services/service-directory/bury/health-improvement/health-improvement/health-trainers/