• Drinkaware launches a new campaign in partnership with mental health charity Andy’s Man Club and football legend Chris Kamara

• The campaign, launched in Mental Health Awareness Week, aims to say to mid-life men (aged 45-64) that ‘it’s okay to talk about drinking’

• Over half (58%) of men aged 45-64 say that drinking is often used as a coping mechanism by men their age

• Nearly 2.5 million men aged 45-64 regularly drink over the Chief Medical Officer’s low-risk drinking guidelines of 14 units per week, putting their health at serious risk

• Campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39hSTg_PN-g

Over half (58%) of men aged 45-64 say drinking alcohol is often used as a coping mechanism by men their age, while one in five find it difficult to open up without an alcoholic drink, according to a new survey by Drinkaware, out today (Monday 12 May), at the start of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Drinkaware’s new campaign in partnership with Andy’s Man Club - a charity dedicated to supporting men through the power of conversation – and fronted by football legend Chris ‘Kammy’ Kamara aims to say to mid-life men (45-64) that ‘it’s okay to talk about drinking’.

Kammy attended an Andy’s Man Club (AMC) group session where he listened as several men bravely shared their own personal experiences of the impact drinking has had on their mental health. Kammy also reflected on his own relationship with alcohol and understanding of mental health.

As part of the campaign Drinkaware surveyed 2,000 men aged 45-64 which found:

• Men aged 45-64 feel most comfortable speaking with their partner or spouse (39%) about their drinking, with 37% feeling the same when it comes to their mental health

• Over half of men (57%) aged 45 – 64 believe their alcohol consumption has no impact at all on their mental health

• 85% have not had a serious conversation about their drinking with anyone in the past 12 months, with 70% not having a serious conversation when it comes to their mental health

• Around one in three (29%) believe it’s normalised for men their age to drink heavily

• Half (55%) say not drinking alcohol has no impact on their social life

• Over a quarter (28%) of men do not think men their age have someone to turn to if they are struggling with their mental health

• Over one quarter (26%) drink over the low-risk guidelines at home, while 11% drink do so outside of the home

Chris Kamara, former Sky Sports presenter and football legend, said:

“I look at my lifestyle and it’s changed completely over the years. These days, I’m more of a social drinker rather than a binge drinker. I don’t feel alcohol is part of my condition, and after hearing the incredibly personal and moving stories shared by the Andy’s Man Club lads, I’ve realised that it’s okay to talk about your drinking and mental health.”

Karen Tyrell, CEO of the charity Drinkaware, commented on the campaign:

“Sadly, in the UK, men are much more likely to drink alcohol and less likely to talk openly about their mental health, and this is in part fuelling the current crisis in men's heath.

“Opening up about how we’re feeling isn’t always easy and sometimes drinking feels like the answer. We’ve partnered with Andy’s Man Club and Chris Kamara to show the power of talking and as our campaign shows once you've taken the first step the benefits are clear.

“One simple way to understand whether your drinking could be putting your physical and mental health at serious risk, is to complete the Drinkaware Drinking Check - a short, five-minute quiz. It could be the first step to drinking a little less and feeling much better.”

Luke Ambler, co-founder of Andy’s Man Club, commented:

"We are delighted to be working with Drinkaware to highlight the links between alcohol and mental health - it is so important to provide education around the issue and to also continue to smash the stigma surrounding men's mental health.

“Anything we can do to share people’s personal stories and provide people with that sense of relatability they’re so often seeking when they're struggling, is invaluable."

The impactful stories heard by Kammy during the Andy Man’s Club session touched on a range of deeply personal issues — from Dan’s struggles with postnatal depression, which led him to turn to alcohol, to Oli and Simon using drinking as a coping mechanism and a way to escape from the everyday pressures of life.

But, thanks to the power of conversation and the safe space provided by Andy’s Man Club, they were able to take steps toward turning their life around. This led to a healthier relationship with alcohol, inspiring others that they, too, can make positive changes.

To take the first step towards understanding whether your drinking could be putting your physical and mental health at serious risk, you can visit the Drinkaware website and complete the free Drinking Check – a short, five-minute quiz – today. To find the nearest Andy’s Man Club to you, please visit their website.

To find out more about the campaign, visit the Drinkaware website at: www.drinkaware.co.uk/talkdrinking

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

Links

• Drinkaware’s Drinking Check Tool: www.drinkaware.co.uk

• Hero campaign video: https://youtu.be/39hSTg_PN-g

• Interview video with Simon (Case Study 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dbeo3_vTFQ

• Interview video with Oli (Case Study 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZagTyqXyA8

• Interview video with Dan (Case Study 3): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj6Qr9T0ZQ0

Polling

• This research, commissioned by Drinkaware, was was carried out online by Opinion matters throughout 15.04.2025 - 22.04.2025 among a panel resulting in 2,004 UK men aged 45-64 who drink alcohol responding.

• All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).

Photo

• Credit: Photography by Pete Jobson via The Junxion

• Left to right: Simon (49), Luke (39), Kammy (67), Lucas (25), Oli (36) and Dan (42)

Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines

The Chief Medical Officers' guideline for both men and women state that:

o To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.

o If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it's best to spread your drinking evenly over three or more days. If you have one or two heavy drinking episodes a week, you increase your risk of long-term illness and injury.

o The risk of developing a range of health problems (including cancers of the mouth, throat and breast) increases the more you drink on a regular basis.

o If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink-free days a week.

o If you are pregnant or think you could become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all, to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.

o Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink the greater the risk.

About Drinkaware

• Drinkaware is the UK’s leading alcohol charity which aims to reduce alcohol harm. We achieve this by providing impartial, evidence-based information, advice and practical resources; raising awareness of alcohol and its harms and working collaboratively with partners. www.drinkaware.co.uk

• Founded in 2006 by the UK Government, the devolved administrations and the alcohol industry, Drinkaware is funded by unrestricted voluntary donations from more than 120 organisations. These include UK alcohol producers, retailers, supermarkets, venues, restaurant groups and sports associations.

About Andy’s Man Club

• ANDYSMANCLUB run peer-to-peer support groups for men aged 18+ going through storms in their lives, every Monday at 7pm excluding bank holidays. Clubs are free to attend with no registration required.

• The group was founded after the death by suicide of Andy Roberts. Andy gave no indication to his family that he was suicidal, as a result, his brother-in-law, Luke Ambler, and mother, Elaine Roberts, founded ANDYSMANCLUB in the hope that men who struggled to open up had a safe space to do so.

• The first ANDYSMANCLUB session ran in Halifax in 2016, with nine men in attendance on the night. The groups follow the same model they did on the first night and are now available in hundreds of locations nationwide, stretching from Plymouth to Aberdeen. Following on from the COVID-19 pandemic, ANDYSMANCLUB created an online function via Google Meet. This follows the same model and enables men who cannot leave their home due to a variety of issues to join sessions. In the long-term, the charity aims to have a location within 30 minutes travel of any man in the UK.

• To find out more, email info@andysmanclub.co.uk or head to www.andysmanclub.co.uk

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