ASDA Ellesmere Port and UK alcohol education charity Drinkaware have worked together to provide free information and advice on alcohol to the local community this week.

The event took place at the store on Friday, January 11, running from 11am-5pm, with a Drinkaware stand set up to give customers the opportunity to access friendly advice and to ask questions.

Justin Madders, Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, attended the event in store to support the cause.

This year's partnership builds on a successful January 2018 event which saw Drinkaware engage with more than 7,000 Asda customers.

This year will see a particular focus on drink-free days, to help encourage middle-aged men and women to think about their drinking and to highlight that having more drink-free days can improve their health and reduce risks of serious long-term conditions.

Customers will be able to talk to Drinkaware ambassadors to discuss any concerns they have about their own or family members’ drinking and will be encouraged to complete a quick alcohol assessment using Drinkaware scratch cards, which use a factual, non-judgmental approach to invite consumers to reflect on their drinking habits.

There will also be specific help for parents on how to speak to their kids about alcohol and how to answer the difficult questions that children can ask.

Rommel Moseley, Drinkaware director of business development and partnerships, said: “Working together with ASDA for the past three years has enabled Drinkaware to get out into their stores across the country and work with people face-to-face.

“The advice and information that Drinkaware provides is invaluable to the many people looking to make changes to their own or a family member’s drinking habits in January, and we know that the Drinkaware ambassadors in Asda will help many customers to make positive changes and reduce their risk of alcohol harm.”

Chris Lowe, senior director for corporate affairs at Asda, said: “We are pleased to be working with Drinkaware again this year, as part of our role as a responsible retailer, helping them to engage directly with our customers.

“Customer insight shows that more people think about their health in January, and look for ways to cut back on their alcohol consumption after the festive period, so this opportunity to receive accessible, friendly advice and support comes at just the right time.”