Women in east and north Birmingham given booze challenge
NHS Birmingham East and North is encouraging women to have at least three alcohol-free days every week by signing up to the ‘3 Days Booze Free’ challenge.
The challenge kicks off this week with on-street staff signing people up over the next two weekends. It lasts for three months, meaning that by signing up now, women can complete the challenge before enjoying the Christmas season. However, they may want to pick it up again in January for a New Year’s detox!
On signing up, women will receive a ‘Challenge Pack’ containing the tools they need to succeed, including tips on how to enjoy an evening without booze and a chart where they can mark their progress. Women are being encouraged to sign up in groups and to challenge their friends or workmates to join them.
The street teams will be easily identifiable, as they will be running a stand near a giant inflatable wine bottle. At peak times on both Saturdays, a cocktail mixer will be on-site creating mocktails, a delicious alternative to an alcoholic drink – so women will also be able to enjoy a free drink while they sign up.
The street teams will be available at the following locations:
- Thursday 2 September – The Parade, Sutton Coldfield, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Friday 3 September – Sainsbury’s, Mere Green, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Saturday 4 September – The Parade, Sutton Coldfield, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Thurs 9 September – Princess Retail Park/Tesco, New Oscott, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Friday 10 September – The Fort Shopping Centre, 9.30am to 8pm
- Saturday 11 September – High Street, Erdington, 9.30am to 5.30pm
A website, www.3daysboozefree.co.uk, has been set up to support the challenge, containing recipes for mocktails – a great alternative to an alcoholic drink on the booze free days – along with other helpful hints and tips. Around the local area, people will also see giant posters saying things like “Watch TV without a G&T” and “Have dinner without the sauce”, challenging people to stop and think before having a drink and to have a go at the ‘3 Days Booze Free’ challenge.
Nicola Benge, Director of Health Improvement at NHS Birmingham East and North, said: “Recent research shows that drinking every day, even in small amounts, can significantly increase the risk of liver disease, so having three days every week without alcohol reduces the risk of serious harm, as well as leaving you feeling healthier in the short-term.
“Those attempting the challenge can expect to feel fitter and look better, while challenging their friends family and colleagues offers support as well as a little friendly competition. However, to enjoy the health benefits, locals should still try to stay within the daily limits recommended by the government – three units for men and two for women.”
Ends
Enquiries
For more information, please contact Sarah Millard, NHS Birmingham East and North External Communications Manager, on 0121 380 0620.
Notes to editors
You are invited to send a reporter/photographer to the following locations to see the street teams in action:
- Thursday 2 September – The Parade, Sutton Coldfield, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Friday 3 September – Sainsbury’s, Mere Green, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Saturday 4 September – The Parade, Sutton Coldfield, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Thurs 9 September – Princess Retail Park/Tesco, New Oscott, 9.30am to 5.30pm
- Friday 10 September – The Fort Shopping Centre, 9.30am to 8pm
- Saturday 11 September – High Street, Erdington, 9.30am to 5.30pm
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) within the English NHS. As a PCT, it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards in north and east Birmingham.
We organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent, referred to as commissioning.
Dr Foster was first launched to the public in January 2001 with publication of the Hospital Guide. Since then, Dr Foster has published a series of guides detailing the availability and standards of local health services. The Hospital guide is now an annual publication which has done much to catalyze improvement in the NHS.
In 2006 Dr Foster Intelligence was launched as a public-private partnership that aims to improve the quality and efficiency of health and social care through better use of information. The partnership is in the form of a 50:50 joint venture with the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care.
One of Dr Foster Intelligence’s key objectives is to promote the development of an information culture in the NHS by providing appropriate information and analysis to clinicians and managers in order to help them deliver the best quality healthcare.
In 2007 we were proud to win the Laing & Buisson award for innovation and in 2008 we won the HealthInvestor award for outstanding contribution to healthcare.
