Campaign to quiz North-east drinking habits
28/08/08
A new campaign which aims to find out the drinking habits of people across the North-east will be launched on Monday [September 1].
As part of the Usual Suspects campaign, which will encourage the public to challenge their own drinking patterns, people of all ages are being urged to fill in a quick, anonymous questionnaire about how much they drink and how often.
They can also opt to follow the lead of three Northsound DJs who have volunteered to keep drink diaries in the run-up to national Alcohol Awareness Week, which runs from October 5-11.
The Boy Milne, who presents the mid-afternoon show on Northsound 1, Jenny Laing, who has a dance music show on Friday nights, and Martyn Landles, who presents drive-time on Northsound 2, have signed up to record their alcohol intake then check the number of units they have consumed.
The Usual Suspects campaign is being part-funded by the Scottish Government and the Joint Alcohol and Drug Action Team (JADAT) from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils.
The campaign logo features a line-up of alcohol drinks, asking “Do these Suspects feature in your life?”
Northsound is supporting the drive by running a series of trailers which encourage listeners to spend five minutes filling in the questionnaire online at www.northsound1.com or www.mfr.co.uk
Other questions cover attitudes to drinking, experiences of alcohol and general perception of alcohol use in the North-east, and all answers are in confidence.
Everyone who takes part will be entered in a prize draw to win a laptop computer.
All the information gathered through the questionnaire will be analysed and the results will be published during Alcohol Awareness Week.
Fraser Hoggan, Health Improvement Officer – Drugs and Alcohol (Aberdeen City), stressed that the Usual Suspects campaign was not intended to stop anyone having a social drink.
“We are not trying to preach to anyone and tell them they shouldn’t drink alcohol or that all drinking is bad,” he said. “The aim of this campaign is primarily to work in partnership to understand local drinking patterns and to increase awareness of the effects and associated risks of alcohol.
“We are aiming to encourage the general public to assess and challenge their drinking habits, while taking responsibility for their own health. It’s OK to have some alcohol free days, while eating or drinking water in between drinks can extend a good night out.
“All the information is anonymous and will be used to establish current behaviour patterns and beliefs relating to alcohol and its use.”
Aberdeen City Councillor Gordon Leslie, a member of the Joint Alcohol and Drugs Action Team, added: “This is an extremely worthwhile campaign which paves the way for Alcohol Awareness Week. It will be very interesting to see what people of all ages, from students to older people, really think about drinking.
“I would encourage everyone to take just a few minutes to fill in the questionnaire so we can obtain as clear a picture as possible.”
The partners involved in the Usual Suspects campaign are: Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Moray Council, Alcohol Support, Aberdeen Foyer, Grampian Police, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, British Institute of Innkeepers, NHS Grampian and Scottish Healthy Working Lives, as well as Northsound Radio and Moray Firth Radio.
If you have any queries regarding this, or any other news story, please contact Aberdeen City Council on: 08456 080910.
