'Be A Mate' alcohol-awareness campaign
Friday, 11 December 2020
To mark national Alcohol Awareness Week (16 - 20 November), we launched the second round of our ‘Be A Mate' student campaign in partnership with RUSU - part of our package of activity through the work of the Drugs & Alcohol Action Partnership (DAAP).
Acknowledging the additional concerns and changing drinking habits we have seen reported in the media, we themed our campaign around alcohol awareness and mental health, aiming to help enable our students to look out for each other and take a responsible and informed approach to alcohol. By providing more information about how to make informed choices, and opening up the conversation on social media, we hope to have encouraged more discussion around drinking here at Reading.
In addition to our mental health focused activity on social media, we teamed up with the Co-Op on campus for a second year. With every purchase of alcohol in the Co-Op, we provided a free lined measuring glasses, interactive scratch card, and information on where to get help, to encourage students to take a mindful approach to their drinking. In total, almost 500 glasses and scratch cards were handed out.
Co-Op Store Manager Troy and his team got very involved in the initiative, reporting that the response had been stronger this year, with more students engaging in conversation about the project. As well as having the lined cups and scratch cards available in-store, we also included them in online purchases and deliveries too, meaning we were able to reach students who may not have otherwise been to the shop.
For further information about support and advice for students related to alcohol, please visit reading.ac.uk/alcohol-support