Drinkaware Trust set up to promote sensible drinking

The Government has given the go-ahead to a new charitable trust, which will attempt to change the UK’s binge-drinking culture and tackle alcohol-related harm when it starts operating later this year.

The Drinkaware Trust will be funded by the alcohol industry, which has pledged £12m to the charity over the next three years to fund projects.

It brings together Government, industry, charities, lobby groups, medical professionals and health experts.

Health Minister Caroline Flint said: “This is an international first. The new Drinkaware Trust is a model of how industry, stakeholders and Government can work together to achieve a shared goal.”

Vernon Coaker, Home Office minister, said the launch of the Drinkaware Trust marked an important step forward in efforts to encourage people to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

The Trust’s activities will include educational campaigns to promote sensible drinking, project aid for local and national initiatives and piloting programmes to tackle alcohol harm.

The initiative has the support of the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Ireland Office.

By Angela Frewin

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