Drinkaware Crew launches for Freshers' Week in three new cities

Alcohol education charity Drinkaware is organising the teams, known as 'Crew', in preparation for Freshers’ Week, the annual introduction to universities for new students.

The scheme is launching for the first time this year in Derby, Coventry and Leicester as well as expanding into new venues in Nottingham from September.

A range of venues will be covered, including some student union bars.

Drinkaware Crew pairs, wearing branded clothing, mingle with drinkers offering assistance where needed, from helping vulnerable people to get a taxi home and reuniting them with their friends to handing out water bottles.

They also talk to customers queuing to enter venues.

The scheme is designed for venues with a capacity of more than 500 and is currently running in Bolton, Cheltenham, Glasgow, Plymouth, Shoreditch, Cardiff, Swansea, Nottingham, Bristol, Birmingham and Exeter.

Earlier this year, Drinkaware also launched an Alcohol Vulnerability Awareness e-learning course to support smaller venues.

Overwhelmingly positive 

Drinkaware claims the presence of Crew teams is overwhelmingly positive with venues reporting that they help improve customers' safety and free up other staff, including security and bar teams.

Venues also say Crews help improve local community relations, according to Drinkaware.

Director of business development Rommel Moseley said “Drinkaware Crew delivers clear benefits to customers, to other team members, and to the business overall. 

“Venues that operate Drinkaware Crew are demonstrating their commitment to social responsibility and to ensuring a safe environment for their customers.”

Deputy manager of the Garage in Glasgow, Iain Alexander, said on busy nights the Crew team take the stress off security and other staff while security staff member at Thekla in Bristol, Grayson Underhill, added that they make dealing with public safety and vulnerable customers more efficient.