BANES raise a (non-alcoholic) glass to Dry January 2017

Bath & North East Somerset Council has joined forces with Sirona care & health to encourage staff and customers to go alcohol-free for January. Alcohol Concern’s Dry January campaign, now in its seventh year, challenges people to give up alcohol for 31 days and put the excesses of the festive period behind them, starting the New Year with a fresh, healthy approach. Bruce Laurence, Director of Public Health for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “This year we are putting additional emphasis on getting men to join the campaign as recent research showed that men in Bath and North East Somerset are drinking substantially more than the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units per week. Men in our district are drinking on average 20.9 units of alcohol per week. “The research also told us that of those who drink alcohol in Bath and North East Somerset, 8% have taken part in Dry January, this equates to approximately 12,000 people taking up the challenge in BANES each year. Let’s see if we can do even better for 2017. “Dry January is not just for men though – the benefits of taking a break from booze are just as great for women, so we don’t want them to miss out!” Throughout the month the Council will be running a social media campaign with the hashtag #holdyourownBANES. The campaign encourages Dry January participants to upload photos of themselves and their alcohol free drinks, holding their own in social situations.  All photos will be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win shopping vouchers. Cllr Vic Pritchard (Conservative, Chew Valley South), Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health, said: “Research from Alcohol Concern has shown that cutting out alcohol for a month can help people re-evaluate their drinking levels long term. Short term benefits include a boost to your finances, weight loss, better sleep and an overall improvement to your general health. “For those who want to join in the campaign when they start back to work in the New Year it’s not too late to sign up on 3^rd January and raise a glass – of something non-alcoholic  – to Dry January! The Healthy lifestyles team from Sirona will be out and about signing up people on the streets of Bath city centre on Wednesday 4^th January as well.” Martyn Price, Sirona’s Head of Health Improvement, said: “We encourage people to take part in Dry January. Not only can people put the excesses of the festive period behind them, it can help them to save money, sleep better, have more energy and lose any excess weight.” For more information and to sign up to Dry January visit: www.dryjanuary.org.uk and to stay up to date on all the month’s activities follow Bath & North East Somerset Council on Twitter @bathnes. You can also contact Sirona’s Healthy Lifestyle Hub on 01225 831 852.