Sign up for Dry January

Why do Dry January?

Giving up drinking for just one month can have really positive impacts on your health, quality of life and wallet. And those benefits don't just disappear at the end of the month either, as people on average cut down their drinking in the long-term as well!

1. Save money - 88% of people who do Dry January save money over the month (when most of us are feeling the pinch anyway)
2. Sleep better - 71% report sleeping better as a result of not having alcohol
3. Lose weight - 58% of people lost weight just from not drinking for a month
4. Help turn lives around - your fundraising will help other people who struggle with drug or alcohol dependency.

Set up your fundraising page

Setting up a fundraising page couldn't be easier through Localgiving. Just follow these simple steps and you'll be ready to raise money for us:

1. Go to https://localgiving.org/fundraisers?charity=dhi.
2. Enter your details and start a new page to tell people what you're doing and why you're doing it.
3. Share your page with all your friends, family and colleagues and encourage them to give what they can.

And that's it! You can sit back, relax and enjoy a non-alcoholic drink to congratulate yourself on doing a great thing for other people.

You might want to use social media during January to keep your supporters updated on how you're doing and get some encouragement. Don't forget to tag our Facebook or Twitter pages in those posts so we can give you some encouragement too!

Tips for making it through the month

Sometimes it can be difficult to not drink, especially if you've had a bad day or are in a scenario where you would normally drink. Check out these tips for staying sober:

1. Exercise - just a short amount of exercise can help dampen those cravings and give you a rush of endorphins.
2. Remember why you're doing it - whether you're motivated by your health, fundraising or something else, keep reminding yourself why you're not drinking. Read some of the stories of DHI clients who have had their lives turned around because of people like you fundraising for us.
3. Try some new soft drinks - it can be hard when you're in a social situation, but make the most of not just reaching for your usual alcoholic drink and try something you've not had before. There are loads of non-alcoholic options now.
4. Treat yourself - you've probably saved some money by not drinking, so get yourself something nice. You deserve it!