We at Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Health Promotion Service recently purchased 1500 thimbles with our logo on them. Our alcohol health promotion workers (promoting responsible drinking) have handed them out at various community events, the Royal Cornwall Show, and health awareness days at Falmouth University.  When handed out with information leaflets, they generate a lot of discussion around alcohol use and misuse, with most people underestimating their alcohol consumption.  People are more than happy to take them and have commented on how good they look.  Many also say they will be very useful in the home, and help them to keep a more accurate eye on their alcohol use.

People can come up to our stand at our various events, have a chat and get some advice around various health matters, take away information leaflets, and a product that will help them put this advice into practice.  The fact we have a product that is useful, makes our service more recognisable and empowers people with more knowledge around alcohol units, is a positive step in the right direction, from our perspective as service providers, and even more importantly for our service users.

Glasgow Council on Alcohol have been using the unit pourers to demonstrate to the general public and other professionals, what a unit of spirits actually is. We have found that people generally know about units, but not know what how much volume that means in practice.

We have targeted the ‘home’ drinker and been pleasantly surprised at how many people want them.

Meg Wright
Chief Executive Officer
Glasgow Council on Alcohol