Hi, I’m Stu. Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Following a recent social media post I asked for “likes” - each like would be a day spent sober in 2019. I posted this across a few social media platforms and here are the results:

• Facebook  206
• Instagram  66
• Twitter  16 
  TOTAL:  288
  

So at this stage you’re probably asking ‘why would you do such a thing?’

There are a couple of reasons behind my thinking:

1. I want to break the stigma around alcohol. 
   It's probably safe to say that alcohol plays a big part in most people's lives. Whether it's looking forward to a few beers on a Friday night, cracking open some tinnies at home with a pizza or heading out for some 2-4-1 cocktails, alcohol is everywhere - and so is the stigma around it. If you decide not to drink (perhaps you're driving one night) there is suddenly an uproar. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT HAVING A DRINK, YOU CAN STILL HAVE ONE" people cry. "WHY DON'T YOU JUST LEAVE YOUR CAR HERE" is another popular line. How bad your hangover is in the morning or how much you drank the night before seems to be almost a badge of honour, trying to outdo your friends whilst trying to recall the memories of what actually happened last night and how much money you spent.
   It seems to be socially unacceptable not  to drink, the given is that you need to drink alcohol to have a good time and that this is the norm. I've already had a few people say "you're 2019 is going to be so sh*t without any booze" - why is that?  
   
   
2. I think it's unfair on my other half.
   For those of you that don't know Jade, she rarely drinks due to her having Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and alcohol tends to exacerbate her symptoms, but mainly because she needs to run off for a wee every 2 minutes. In her own words "people complain about 'breaking the seal' when they drink but that's basically my bladder on a daily basis ".
   If we go out for a meal, to a party or other event and I drink, it's always Jade that defaults to being the driver because she doesn't drink - and I don't think that's fair. Also, have you ever been picked up by your other half after a night out, got in the car and realised how drunk you are? That.
   
   
3. I want to challenge myself and raise money for a good cause.
   I've decided to do a year with no alcohol as I want to challenge myself. I want to see how difficult it really is and also see what people's reactions are to it as well. And if I can raise some money for a cause close to my heart whilst doing so, then why not? 

So there you go - there's the reasons behind it. Now it's over to you.

Obviously I am trying to raise some money for the MS Society along the way and I can't do it alone. That's why I'm asking for donations to help see me through my sober year. Whatever you can spare would be appreciated, this page will be open until my last day on 1st January 2020. If you can't afford much then why not have one less drink when you're next out and then donate the price of a pint to my page instead?

For those of you who are unaware of MS or the MS Society, their website can be found here: www.mssociety.org.uk 

Last but not least, thanks again for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Here's the boring legal stuff:

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.