Tom Briggs, author of Diary of the Dad, has never tried to stop drinking before and whilst only a social drinker, like many other Brits he’s actually only been off the booze for a week or so when he’s had a sick bug or been on a course of antibiotics from the dentist. This year he has decided to take part in Go Sober for October and support Macmillan’s fund raising challenge. Go Sober for October invites people to lose the booze for an alcohol-free month in support of people affected by cancer. 100,000 people took part last year raising £4 million. Tom tells BritMums about his decision.
Like a number of bloggers, I like to do my bit for good causes and have supported a number of charities via my little corner of the web since I started blogging five years ago. I’ve been to events and written about various initiatives to help raise awareness of them as well as taking part in challenges. Speaking of which, I’ve just signed up to what will be my toughest test yet – a month without alcohol as I support Macmillan’s Go Sober for October campaign.
As the name suggests, the campaign encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October to help raise vital funds and support Macmillan to ensure that no one has to face cancer alone. I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s a worthy cause and I’d love it if more of the parent blogging community joined me!
Without wishing to sound like I have a drinking problem, taking part in this campaign is a big deal for me. Although I don’t drink every day, I do enjoy a few glasses of wine or pints of real ale and don’t think I’ve ever gone more than the odd week without alcohol – let alone a month. And these ‘weeks off’ haven’t been down to choice – they’ve only taken place when I’ve been on antibiotics or suffering with man flu.
To add to the evidence of why this may be tricky for me, I’m a full member of the Campaign for Real Ale, have way more beer and wine-related gadgets than a sensible person should and am also the owner of a coat made out of bar towels which, somehow, I persuaded my Grandma to stitch together!
We’ve all got to the end of stressful days in which our first thought has been “hurry up, wine o’clock!” so I’m hoping that this campaign will resonate with other parents of wonderful but nonetheless exhausting children!
Of course, mums are familiar with much greater feats of alcohol-shunning endurance and my wife, Kate, is about to enter month eight of not drinking as she carries our third child, so I hope my participation also acts as a small show of solidarity in the last full month of pregnancy.
I’ve helped other important charities by wasting ice-cold water and neglecting to shave in recent years, but feel that I’ll be doing a lot more to show my support with this campaign. I’m determined, therefore, to recruit as many other ‘Sober Heroes’ and to raise as much money as I can for this excellent cause.
Why not join me? Sign up and be a Sober Hero for Macmillan, and help ensure that no one faces cancer alone.
As well as steering clear of alcohol for the month, I’ll be posting regular vlogs about my progress. You can watch them on my You Tube channel.
Finally, you can sponsor me on my Go Sober for October page Any donations will be very welcome. Thank you!
Swap your gin for a juice this autumn with Macmillan Cancer Support and Go Sober For October. The fundraising challenge, which runs from 1st – 31st October 2015, encourages people to give up alcohol for the month – and be sponsored by their friends and family to do so. Bin the booze and you’ll feel healthier (and pretty smug!) as you raise vital funds to help ensure that no one faces cancer alone. Head to www.gosober.org.uk to sign up and be a Sober Hero for Macmillan.
I’m Tom, a 30-something bloke who likes writing among other things that I used to have time for. The two main protagonists you’ll read about on Diary of the Dad are my sons, Dylan and Xander. Despite robbing us of sleep and slowly destroying our house on a daily basis, we – my wife/best friend, Kate, and I – think they’re awesome and this is why I write about them.
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