Christmas greetings for drinkers

People out in Putney next week will be getting a special festive greeting. The Wandsworth Alcohol Alliance will be handing out Christmas cards giving tips on how to drink sensibly, and will be providing information and advice at information stall at St Mary's Church Square, Putney on December 17th between 4pm-8.30pm

People will be able to find out about how many units of alcohol are in their favourite drinks and will be provided with free plastic glasses marking out a 125ml serving of alcohol – the recommended amount for a serving.

They will be encouraged to alternate alcoholic drinks with water and told that legally pubs and clubs must provide free drinking water. Posters with this message on will also be displayed across the borough in pubs, bars, GP surgeries and pharmacies.

Information about local support services such as the network of Fresh Start clinics will also be available for anyone that may need further support in reducing their alcohol intake.

The Alcohol Alliance is led by the council and includes representatives from the health service, the council’s community safety team, the police, GPs and others. They work together to tackle problem drinking and the negative effects it has on families and communities.

This month the council’s licencing team will be carrying out its annual pre-Christmas initiative reminding pubs, bars and restaurants they must not sell alcohol to people who are already drunk, must make drinking water freely available and must sell wine in 125ml servings if requested.

Cards with ‘top tips’ on how to deal with a drunk customer are also being provided to help the staff of licenced premises know how to spot someone who is drunk and how to deal with them sensitively.

The council’s director of public health, and joint chairman of the Wandsworth Alcohol Alliance Houda Al-Sharifi said:
“The Alcohol Alliance has already run an information stall this Christmas in Northcote Road, and we discovered people are really interested to know more about units and how to drink sensibly. We want people to enjoy the festive season, but we want them to do it safely.”

For information about alcohol support services, visit the Adult Care Information Service.

December 14, 2013