Scotch whisky staff across Fife have teamed up with East Fife FC to tackle the scourge of alcohol misuse.
Responsible drinking campaign Drink Positive is an alcohol education programme being run in partnership between the Scottish Football Association and Diageo.
It 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.
A 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 on Saturday, for a unique opportunity to see the Scottish Cup trophy up close.
The trophy tour of Fife, which included a visit to Diageo’s Cameronbridge Distillery and Leven packaging plant, aims to engage football fans with the campaign.
Mr Stevenson 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.”
Fife is home to Cameronbridge, the oldest and largest grain distillery in Europe, as well as nearby packaging site.
With around 1,000 people employed locally, it’s hoped that staff will be inspired to become Drink Positive ambassadors, taking the message to friends and family.
Cameronbridge operations direction Steve Blake 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.”
Drink Positive 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 to raise their awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol misuse through http://www.drinkIQ.com, which delivers engaging alcohol education, including alcohol unit and calorie calculators to encourage people to drink in moderation.
