Motivating people to drink responsibly and stay safe during the Christmas and new year party season is at the heart of the 2018 #DrinkSafeIOM campaign which is launched today, 26/11/18.

For the fourth year Public Health, Isle of Man Constabulary and Bus Vannin have joined forces to promote the festive message through what’s set to be one of highest profile campaigns in years.

#DrinkSafeIOM combines positive health messages about sensible drinking with practical information on an expanded late night bus service, and raises awareness of the consequences of drink driving.

Prominent campaign branding will champion two key messages, which will be widely shared on social media, on posters, banners, bus backs and timetables, in pubs and on beer mats across the Island:

• None for the Road – Think Bus not Busted warns about the consequences of drink driving and encourages revellers to leave the car behind and use the late night bus service
• Pace Yourself – Drink Water, Last Longer, Feel Better encourages party-goers to alternate alcoholic and soft drinks, to avoid the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption

The campaign’s been devised by a team comprising Public Health staff from the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Affairs Department’s road safety manager, officers from Roads Policing and the Police Alcohol Unit, alongside representatives from public transport and the local licensed trade. Each has contributed insight and expertise to ensure the festive message reaches the widest possible cross-section of the Manx public.

Chief Inspector Cathryn Bradley leads the Constabulary’s Protective Services and is a key partner in #DrinkSafeIOM: ‘We want to ensure that everyone can enjoy their Christmas and new year safely and without the devastating and long lasting effects of alcohol-related offending including drink driving, which truly ruins lives. 

She added:

‘Isle of Man Constabulary is working with our colleagues in Public Health and bus vannin to urge the public to pace themselves, remain in control and to plan ahead for a safe journey home using the extra Night Owl bus services - and also remember that you can still be over the drink-drive limit the next morning.’

Activity on the ground will be across the board. The campaign will be promoted visibly in pubs, bars and clubs by officers from the Alcohol Unit in partnership with Pubwatch and the Licensed Victuallers Association (LVA). Handy bus timetables will be displayed in pubs. In addition this year, independent brewery Bushy’s, Okell's Brewery, Pubwatch and the LVA have sponsored beer mats bearing the campaign’s slogans and images.  

Police patrol units will be out and about on the Island’s roads throughout the festive period while the Road Safety Team will promote the campaign to shoppers on Strand Street in Douglas on each late night shopping Thursday in the run-up to Christmas.

Director of Public Health Dr Henrietta Ewart said:

’This campaign aims to be a winning mix of education, prevention and law enforcement – it gives the clear message people should understand the risk of excessive alcohol consumption to their own health and freedom – and that of others – and encourages them to act responsibly. We will measure our success in the new year using data collected by our partners and the results of a public survey, comparing the outcome against previous years. We want to learn what works best.’