Going Dry for July – Sober AF

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re well and enjoying your day!

My word, this year seems to be just flying by. June seemed to swing by so quick and now were just about to hit July! Speaking of July, today I want to share with you a challenge that is about to hit the shores of New Zealand.

Dry July is a non profit organisation that challenges people to abstain from drinking alcohol for the month of July to support people affected by cancer. The funds raised by Dry July will help Look Good Feel Better NZ, Bowel Cancer NZ, PINC & STEEL NZ and Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand improve the comfort, care and wellbeing of people affected by cancer.

Dry July was started by three friends Brett, Kenny and Phil in Sydney Australia in 2008. They wanted to take a break from alcohol, so decided to abstain for the month of July, coining it their ‘Dry July’. They also wanted to raise money for a family member affected by cancer, so they asked friends and family to sponsor them. The first Dry July went on to raise $250,000 after the kind words shared by a radio presenter getting people to support the cause and Dry July was well and truly born!

Since Dry July launched in New Zealand in 2012, the campaign has inspired 37,000 Kiwis to go dry, raising $5.1 million for people affected by cancer and funding more than 170 projects for 15 organisations across the country. I know, right?!

Though I don’t drink myself, it’s safe to say I’ve been encouraging those around me to take part in the Dry July challenge to support the worthy cause. I have loved noting peoples enthusiasm to take on the challenge and know that to some, it would be a challenge. See, drinking to many is something more normal than my sobriety. People meet for a drink after work, to catch up with the girls on a weekend or to celebrate a special occasion. For a lot it’s more that socialising aspect when it comes to drinking.

People obviously wouldn’t want to give up that socialising aspect of their lives (and fair enough!), but something I noted that would be difficult for people was what instead to drink. Its something I too have struggled with even in my sobriety. The options for us sober folk certainly are lacking. I mean, what’s the option, coke or lemonade? I almost feel its the downfall of going out and I usually have to stop myself sighing at the bar at the thought of something so sickly sweet.

Luckily I have something to share with you that will go hand in hand if you’re looking to take on the challenge of Dry July and support this wonderful cause.

Af Drinks exists to support the sober and help the sober curious explore a different relationship with alcohol. They have a wide range of non alcoholic drinks from a classic Gin & Tonic to Spiced Ginger and Cola. They are a fantastic alternative to an alcoholic drink and provide such a classy and adult drink for the sober and sober curious.

Lisa King, the founder of AF drinks started her mission to create a grown up non alcoholic drink after she connected her bouts of vertigo to her well loved gin-and-tonics. She decided to give up the drink for a while, but quickly realised there were very few alternatives to alcoholic drinks.

Despite making a choice that was better for her health the comments of “what’s wrong with you?” or “are you pregnant?” flowed freely. That’s where the idea for AF Drinks came from. It wasn’t about just a product, but a world where it was ok to make your own decisions wether for health or other reasons and to do that with pride and confidence.

I not only love these drinks for providing such a different option when it comes to non alcoholic drinks, but I love that meaning behind them. They’re giving people a different relationship with alcohol and vouching for people to stand up for themselves in their choices and be confident in doing so.

AF Drinks go hand in hand with Dry July and are a great way to help support you through supporting others. They have a wide range of stockists from an easy online order to your local New World or liquorland (Check the link at the end for stockists).

I would love to hear if you choose to take part in the challenge and if it provides you with a different relationship with alcohol at the end of it. In prior years many have noted that they have cut down on their alcohol consumption after the challenge or ones like it or even become tee total.