People urged to rethink drink

Christian drug awareness charity Hope UK is supporting the Government’s Know Your Limits campaign, which is encouraging people across the country to take stock of how much they are drinking by keeping a drink diary for the week.

The charity's own Thirst For Life campaign, originally conceived with Share Jesus International for the 40-day period of Lent, now offers a year-round opportunity for individuals and groups to be alcohol-free for 40 days.

Supported by a post card with a ‘marking-off’ calendar, which can also be used to recruit participants, the campaign is now in its fourth year.

Over a quarter of the population in England, drink above the guidelines for lower risk drinking. Of these, 2.6 million adults regularly drink at higher risk levels.

The Chief Medical Officer's guidelines on lower-risk drinking recommend that men do not drink more than 3-4 units daily, the equivalent of about two pints or two cans of normal-strength lager or beer, and that women do not drink more than 2-3 units daily, the equivalent of about one large glass of wine or three single measures of spirits.

Hope UK’s Chief Operations Manager, Sarah Brighton, said: “We’re behind the Know Your Limits campaign because alcohol is one of the leading causes of health problems in the UK.

"It’s so easy to get into a routine of regular drinking which is above the lower-risk guidelines, without realising you might be putting your health at risk.

"For example, if a man regularly drinks a couple of pints of beer most days of the
week, he is drinking above the lower-risk guidelines.

“Participating in thirst for life for 40 days is challenging but can be a life-changing experience.

"Alternatively, just keeping a drink diary for a week is easy, and can really make you stop and think about whether you ought to be cutting back – and there’s no better time than Alcohol Awareness Week to give it a go.”

For further information visit www.thirstforlife.org