The Lighthouse team have embarked on a week-long road show across Blackpool to raise awareness and promote their services during Dry January®.
Heading to various health care locations across the town – including Blackpool Victoria Hospital – the team have been providing plenty of alcohol advice and information on their services.
Both the public and professionals passing by enjoyed dropping in to say hello, thanks to the team’s eye-catching hologram machine and popular ‘drunk darts’ game.
Duncan Swan, Alcohol Recovery Practitioner from The Lighthouse, said: “Dry January® is a real opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievement of The Lighthouse and supporting agencies. We like to have a bit of fun because that’s what life after addiction should be all about”.
In 2024, The Lighthouse received over 1000 referrals, provided over 300 liver fibro scan examinations, and referred 41 clients for inpatient alcohol detoxifications.
As Blackpool is facing increasing concerns around alcohol misuse, The Lighthouse want to make themselves more visible in the community.
Duncan continued: “We’ve had plenty of people see us out and about then come into our services for help – it’s great to see”.
“What makes us different is we don’t tell people what they can and can’t drink. We help them in the parameters of what they’re dealing with. It’s refreshing for most people”.
The Lighthouse alcohol service is located on Dickson Road. Part of Horizon, they provide support services and harm reduction for people struggling with alcohol issues.
Every year, thousands of people make a New Year’s resolution to lay off the booze for a month – with an estimated 217,000 taking part in Dry January® in 2024.
Taking part in can have lasting results too. 70% of participants of Dry January were still reported reduced consumption up to six months later.
Dry January was first launched in 2013 as a public health initiative by Alcohol Change UK. Dry January is a 31-day challenge to abstain from alcoholic beverages.
Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, said: “The New Year offers all of us an opportunity to reflect and set our goals for the 12 months ahead. Increasingly, for many people, this includes a desire to improve our relationship with alcohol.”
He continued: “That’s because there is a growing recognition of alcohol’s impact on our health, wellbeing and quality of life – from headaches, sleepless nights and feeling ‘off’ the next day, to high blood pressure, anxiety, and cancer. These wide-ranging impacts affect so many of us”.
Venues the team have visited this week include Whitegate Health Centre, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blackpool Carers Centre and The Harbour on Windmill Rise.
In addition to their advice roadshow, The Lighthouse have also arranged for Blackpool Tower to be illuminated to mark the occasion.
The tower will be lit up orange to represent Horizon and The Lighthouse, canary yellow to represent Dry January®, and the heart in the centre to remember Shaun O’Brien – a support worker from The Lighthouse who sadly passed away suddenly last December.
Shaun had worked at The Lighthouse for over a decade, helping thousands of clients during his time there through his lived experience and dedication to his role.
