Spreading the word to Drink Positive in health campaign

Scotch whisky employees from across Fife have teamed up with East Fife FC to promote a major responsible drinking campaign, Drink Positive.

The alcohol education programme, run in partnership between the Scottish Football Association and Diageo, is delivering training to football fans, coaches and players on the effects alcohol has on the body, equipping them with facts on how to lead a balanced lifestyle.

Using the William Hill Scottish Cup as a platform, the campaign has a goal of reaching a million Scots with the Drink Positive messaging.

The group of Diageo employees joined East Fife FC chairman Jim Stevenson and vice chairman David Marshall at Bayview Stadium ahead of their fourth round game, for a unique opportunity to see the Scottish Cup trophy up close.

The special Scottish Cup trophy tour of the region, which included a visit to Diageo’s Cameronbridge Distillery and Leven packaging plant, aims to engage football fans in Fife with the Drink Positive campaign, with the club using this opportunity to support the campaign and drive the conversation around responsible drinking.

Jim Stevenson, chairman of East Fife FC, said: ‘Football plays an integral role in communities across Scotland and as a club we have a collective responsibility to promote a balanced approach to alcohol consumption.

‘It’s important for our supporters and players to recognise the dangers of excessive drinking, and for our coaches and players to help spread the responsible drinking message.’

SPFL members East Fife FC will play Greenock Morton FC at home this weekend (Saturday 19 January) in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Staff from Diageo’s Cameronbridge Distillery with East Fife FC chairman Jim Stevenson (back row centre right) with David Marshall, club vice chairman (back row centre left) (Photo: Alan Peebles)

Fife is home to Diageo’s Cameronbridge Distillery, the oldest and largest grain distillery in Europe, as well as nearby packaging site at Leven. With around 1,000 people employed at its sites in Fife, it’s hoped that staff will be inspired to become Drink Positive ambassadors, taking the Drink Positive message to friends and family.

Steve Blake, operations director at Diageo Cameronbridge Distillery, said: ‘We are proud to welcome the Scottish Cup to our Diageo sites in Fife. It’s visit marks an important part of our national responsible alcohol campaign and allows us to engage our employees and the wider community on the importance of responsible drinking.

‘Having the support of East Fife FC for this initiative is fantastic and an integral part of helping us promote this important message.’

The Drink Positive campaign, which launched in September, is providing alcohol awareness training to amateur football coaches across Scotland to equip them with information on how alcohol impacts sporting performance.

Through this training, they can build responsible drinking messaging into every coaching session, reaching tens of thousands of amateur players across the country.

Fans will also be targeted with media messaging and engagement to raise their awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol misuse through the DrinkIQ website, which delivers engaging alcohol education, including alcohol unit and calorie calculators to encourage people to drink in moderation.