Derbyshire Addictions Advice Service

31/10/2026

🎃👻 HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 👻🎃

Heading out this Halloween? Whether you're dressing up, meeting friends or enjoying a night out, have fun and look out for yourself and each other. 🕸️

Keep an eye on your drink and avoid accepting drinks from people you don't know.

Stay with your friends and check in on each other throughout the night.

Be aware of spiking — if something doesn't feel right, trust your instincts and get help.

Take care with other substances too. Mixing alcohol with drugs can be unpredictable and dangerous, and you may not know how substances will affect you when combined.

Plan how you're getting home before you head out and make sure you have a safe way to get back.

Halloween should be about the fun, not the fallout. 🎃

Look after yourself. Look after your friends. Enjoy the night and stay safe. 🧡

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

30/10/2026

🍂💜 SOBER OCTOBER: THE FINAL WEEKEND 💜🍂

We’re almost at the end of Sober October! 🎉

As the month comes to a close, take a moment to stop and think about what the last few weeks have shown you about your relationship with alcohol.

Maybe you’ve noticed changes in your sleep, mood, energy or finances. Maybe you’ve discovered new ways to relax and socialise without alcohol. Or perhaps you’ve simply become more aware of your drinking and the choices you make.

And if the month hasn’t gone exactly to plan, don’t see that as a failure. Every moment of reflection can be an opportunity to learn something about yourself.

💭 So, what will you take forward from Sober October? Let us know below 👇

You might decide to keep having more alcohol-free days, drink less, make different choices when you do drink, or simply continue to think about how alcohol fits into your life.

Because Sober October might be coming to an end, but the conversations and changes it starts don't have to. 💜

Sometimes, one small moment of reflection can lead to a bigger conversation — and that conversation could be the first step towards change. 🌱

⚠️Important Note: Sober October is aimed at people who can safely stop drinking. If you regularly drink heavily or may be dependent on alcohol, suddenly stopping can be dangerous. Please speak to your GP or a health professional before making significant changes to your drinking.

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

29/10/2026

Needle Exchange Services: Stay Safe, Stay Informed

Needle exchange programs provide clean injecting equipment to reduce the risks of infections like HIV and hepatitis. They also offer safe disposal, harm reduction advice, and support for those looking to make a change.

🔹 Why Use a Needle Exchange?
✔️ Reduces the risk of infections
✔️ Provides clean, sterile equipment
✔️ Safe disposal of used needles
✔️ Access to health advice & support

🔹 Where to Find a Needle Exchange in the UK
✅ Local pharmacies
✅ Drug & alcohol support services
✅ NHS clinics and charities

To find your nearest needle exchange just look for the logo, check the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/ , local drug services, or speak to a healthcare professional. Help is available, you're not alone. 💙

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

29/10/2026

🎉 Today's the Day! Join Us at the Healthy You Festival! 🎉

Come and visit the DRP team at the Healthy You Festival today and find out about the free support available across Derbyshire for individuals, family members, and carers affected by alcohol or drug use.

We'll be on hand to talk about:
✅ Drug and alcohol recovery support
✅ Advice for families, friends and carers
✅ Support for veterans through our STAND TO service
✅ Free training opportunities
✅ Volunteering and lived experience opportunities
✅ How to access local services and support networks

📍 Kirk Hallam Community Centre, Kenilworth Drive, Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston, DE7 4EX
⏰ 11:00am - 3:00pm

The event is free to attend, open to all ages, and includes children's activities, health information, refreshments, and freebies.

Whether you're looking for support, information, or simply want to learn more about the services available in your community, we'd love to see you there!

💚 Come and say hello to the DRP team today.

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

28/10/2026

🌟 Join Us Tomorrow at the Healthy You Festival! 🌟

Looking for health advice, family activities, freebies, and a great community day out? Come along to the Healthy You Festival and discover a range of local services and support available to help you live a healthier, happier life.

📅 Thursday 29 October 2026
⏰ 11:00am - 3:00pm
📍 Kirk Hallam Community Centre, Kenilworth Drive, Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston, DE7 4EX

✅ Free entry
✅ No booking required
✅ Open to all ages
✅ Children's activities
✅ Snacks, drinks & freebies
✅ Useful health advice and information

The DAAS team will be there alongside other local organisations, so come and say hello and find out what support is available in your area.

We look forward to seeing you there! 😊

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

28/10/2026

🚨 ONE WEEK TO GO! 🚨

🍷 Alcohol Awareness & Brief Intervention Training – IN PERSON

📅Tuesday 4th November 2026

Are you a frontline professional working in health, social care or community services?

Join us for practical training to build your confidence in:

✨ Starting conversations about alcohol
✨ Understanding alcohol-related risks and harms
✨ Using brief intervention skills
✨ Using AUDIT to identify alcohol risk
✨ Knowing when and how to refer for specialist support

💬 A simple conversation can be the first step towards positive change.

🎟️ Spaces are still available – book your place:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alcohol-awareness-brief-interventions-in-person-wed-9th-sep-26-tickets-1983025146595?aff=oddtdtcreator

💙 FREE for eligible Derbyshire professionals, funded by Derbyshire Public Health.

📧 Questions? [email protected]

A 6-hour alcohol awareness course. Delivered in person, this course will increase your confidence when discussing substances.

27/10/2026

🦓✨ HAVE YOU TRIED ZEBRA STRIPING? ✨🦓

Sober October is a great opportunity to think about your relationship with alcohol — and the changes you might want to make beyond October.

One approach you could try is zebra striping: alternating between an alcoholic drink and an alcohol-free drink when you're out. 🍹🥤

Why give it a go?

✅ Drink less without feeling like you’re missing out
✅ Stay hydrated and reduce the chance of a hangover
✅ Enjoy better sleep and more energy
✅ Make alcohol-free choices part of your night

With more alcohol-free beers, mocktails and other alternatives available, swapping every other drink can be a simple way to change your drinking habits. 🙌

Sober October doesn't have to end on 31 October.

Why not take what you've learned this month and find a few changes that work for you?

👉 Plan ahead, set your own limits and try a swap next time you're out.

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

26/10/2026

💛 NATIONAL BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH 2026 💛
Break the silence. Recognise the signs.

Bullying doesn’t always look the way we expect it to.

For adults, it can happen at work, in social groups, relationships, online or within communities — and sometimes it can involve pressure around alcohol or other substances. 🍻💊

Being repeatedly pressured to drink, take drugs or do something you’re uncomfortable with isn’t something you should simply have to put up with.

It can affect your:

💛 Mental health and wellbeing
💛 Confidence and relationships
💛 Sense of safety and control
💛 Alcohol or drug use, particularly if substances become a way of coping

What can we do?

👉 Notice when someone’s behaviour or substance use may be linked to pressure from others.
👉 Don’t dismiss concerns as “just banter” or “everyone does it”.
👉 Check in with people who may be struggling, or feeling isolated.
👉 Encourage open, non-judgemental conversations.
👉 Speak up when you see someone being intimidated, pressured, or excluded.

Sometimes, simply asking “Are you okay?” can be the start of an important conversation.

💛 Bullying and coercion shouldn’t be normalised — and nobody should feel pressured into drinking or taking substances to fit in.

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

23/10/2026

💗 Breast Cancer Awareness Month & Wear It Pink – Friday 23 October 💗

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK, and the numbers are significant:

📊 Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK.

📊 1 in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

📊 A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 9 minutes.

But what does alcohol have to do with breast cancer? 🍷

Around 8 in every 100 breast cancers are thought to be linked to drinking alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater the risk — and even one alcoholic drink a day can increase the risk of breast cancer.

Alcohol can increase breast cancer risk through its effects on hormones and the way alcohol is broken down in the body.

💡 The positive news? Limiting alcohol can reduce your risk of breast cancer and has other health benefits too.

🎀 This Wear It Pink Day, let's do more than wear pink. Let's use it as an opportunity to talk about breast cancer, understand the risks, and make informed choices about our health.

Small changes can make a difference. 💗

📚 Figures and information: Breast Cancer Now.

For more information visit: https://breastcancernow.org/about-breast-cancer/awareness/breast-cancer-risk-factors-and-causes/alcohol-and-breast-cancer-risk

If you’re affected by alcohol or substance use, whether it’s your own or someone else’s, we’re here to help.
📞 Call us on 01246 206514
🕘 Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm
🌐 Visit: www.daas.uk.com

Find out how drinking alcohol can affect your risk of breast cancer and the benefits of limiting the amount you drink.

22/10/2026

🚭 It’s never too late to quit smoking! 💙

Whether you’ve smoked for years or are just starting your quit journey, stopping smoking can make a real difference to your health and wellbeing. 🌟

Every smoke-free day is a step in the right direction, and it’s never too late to reap the benefits!

👇 Find out more about the benefits of quitting and give your health a boost.

Find out about some of the physical and mental health benefits of quitting smoking.