Host a ‘COF..FREE’ morning with a difference
Northamptonshire residents are invited to ditch the caffeinated drinks and host a coffee morning with a difference.
Kettering-based national drug education charity, Hope UK is encouraging supporters to ditch the caffeine and host a special ‘COF...FREE’ morning for friends, neighbours or work colleagues – where all the beverages on offer will be strictly of the decaf variety! Biscuits and cakes will of course be welcome...
Hosts are asked to swap their usual tea or coffee for caffeine-free options, such as mint tea, fruit infusions, redbush or juice – or if those options don’t appeal, for decaf tea and coffee. It’s a small switch that is intended to be a great conversation starter; it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the growing impact of vaping, alcohol and illegal drug use among young people in the UK today and the knock-on effects in their communities.
At Hope UK, we are very familiar with stories like the one shared by 11-year-old Jake*, who raised his hand during one of our sessions. “My sister vapes all the time,” he said quietly. “She can’t stop now because she’s addicted.”
Jake is not alone in his concern. Across the country, young people are watching their friends or siblings fall into nicotine addiction through vaping. Underage vape use has grown into a national crisis, leaving families and schools desperate for tools that work. Hope UK works directly with young people, equipping them with the knowledge and life skills they need to make informed choices about the many different substances out there.
All monies raised by our COFFREE coffee mornings will help fund Hope UK’s work:
- £9 helps reach one young person with vital drug education.
- £15 buys a set of drug sample props (don’t worry—they’re totally fake!) to use in our adult workshops.
- £30 provides a volunteer handbook packed with over 100 activities for youth sessions.
- £60 funds an hour-long drug education workshop in a school.
This year’s COFFREE coffee morning event is running alongside Hope UK’s annual COFFREE Conqueror Challenge during October. For one whole month, people are invited to forgo their daily coffee or cuppa and get sponsored whilst doing the challenge. Or they can save the money they would have spent on their cups of coffee during the month of October and donate it to Hope UK instead. Every penny raised is a step towards equipping young people with vital skills and knowledge.
All our COFFREE coffee morning hosts will be part of something bigger – continuing the legacy of 170 years of drug education and supporting our work with children and young people today.
For the resources needed to host a COFFREE coffee morning contact Hope UK at: [email protected] or register your interest on the Hope UK website at: https://hopeuk.org/coffree/