Having chosen Ben’s Centre as their charity of the year, Abbeydale Brewery is bringing out a new pint to raise funds and awareness for the work we do. You may be thinking “Why on earth would a charity focused on supporting those with addiction issues want a partnership with a brewery?” Surely, seeing the negative impact it has on some of our clients’ lives, we would steer clear of anything promoting the consumption of alcohol?

Of course, we more than most recognise the harm that alcohol misuse (and substance misuse) has had on our clients and others struggling with addiction. We also understand that for many people, alcohol is not a problem, and can be consumed as part of a happy and healthy lifestyle. So why are some people so badly affected by alcohol - while others can enjoy drinking without bringing about harmful consequences? We must recognise that while our client’s addiction issues are the cause for a number of problems, they are often a symptom of underlying issues such as entrenched trauma and pre-existing mental health issues. That is to say - it’s not the alcohol that’s the root of the problem; it’s the circumstances that drive a person to feel they need to use alcohol to cope.

This understanding is a key factor that drives the work we do at Ben’s Centre. We operate a trauma-informed approach, focusing on acceptance and harm reduction. This means that rather than simply encouraging our clients to get sober, we listen to them, accept their problems, and work with them at their pace to address the issues that may be making it tough to live without using alcohol or substances.

When broaching the topic of addiction, we often consider the ‘when?’, ‘what?’, ‘who?’ and ‘where?’. ‘When did you have your first drink? What substances do you use? Who and where did you get those from?’ What many of us often forget to ask is the ‘why?’. We see addiction starting as the day a person started misusing a drug, but less often do we look into a person’s background to understand what made them feel the need to use substances. From a young age, anti-drug slogans like ‘not even once’ and warnings of ‘gateway drugs’ are drilled into us, and for good reason - the cycle of addiction is a slippery slope, that once started can feel like an inescapable black hole. But where these warnings fail us is they give the impression that the root cause of addiction is that one day a person simply chose to use a drug - and so long as you are not silly enough to make that decision yourself, you will be fine. What this leaves out is that some of us are predisposed to addiction, some circumstances can make us more vulnerable to addiction, and some of us are more likely to be exposed to illegal substances in our lifetime than others. Once again - the question of ‘why?’ is overlooked. If we as a society can learn to ask “Why does this person feel the need to use substances to cope?”, we can treat vulnerable people with more compassion and awareness of their trauma, rather than seeking to blame them for their life choices.

By partnering with Abbeydale brewery we can to raise awareness for the ways that vulnerable people like our clients can be predisposed to addiction, before ever choosing to use substances or alcohol as a coping mechanism. For example, many of our clients have experienced multiple childhood traumas, which has caused them ongoing mental health issues which can feel impossible to cope with without drinking alcohol. It also gives Abbeydale Brewery the opportunity to work with us to help support those who are affected by addiction to live happier, healthier lives.

“We partner with a different local charity every year, and when Ben’s Centre approached us we were thrilled to be able to collaborate with them, helping to spread the word about the excellent work they do, and raise some extra funds for them to continue helping people affected by addiction and homelessness. As a brewery we recognise the potential issues surrounding alcohol, and the importance of promoting responsible drinking, so partnering with Ben’s Centre allows us an opportunity to broach this difficult subject.” - Abbeydale Brewery

The pint, named “Ben’s Bazaar” pays homage to our old charity shop and support hub of the same name, and will be available throughout pubs in Sheffield. 10p from each pint sold will be contributed towards Ben’s Centre, supporting us to provide acceptance, practical support and harm reduction for vulnerable people affected by addiction and associated issues like rough sleeping in Sheffield.

Ben's Bazaar Pint: Ben's Centre X Abbeydale Brewery

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