Alcoholics Anonymous members are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic by taking their meetings online.
The Fellowship of around 40,000 members in Great Britain & Continental European Region have had to adapt to be able to continue their recovery.
The AA Fellowship normally holds 5,000 face to face meetings a week across AA GB but with the Government social distancing policy things have had to change.
The majority of groups have turned to Zoom, Skype and other online platforms to hold their weekly meetings.
Tom Fox, a non-alcoholic trustee elect on the AA GB General Service Board, said: ‘The Fellowship of AA has been resourceful and two weeks into the lockdown online meetings have become a lifeline for many recovering alcoholics.
‘They are able to share their experience, strength and hope with each other and use the 12 Steps and the tools of recovery to help them through very uncertain times.
‘Our phone lines and online response service has seen a rise in the amount of calls since the Covid-19 pandemic began and as a Fellowship we are grateful that we are able to help people during this time and either direct them to another member to speak to or to an online meeting where they can receive help.”
Alcoholics Anonymous runs a national telephone helpline as well as an online ‘chat now’ service for the suffering alcoholic to receive help and an email response service.
Since the outbreak calls to the help line have gone up by 22 per cent and calls to the ‘chat now’ service have risen by 31 per cent. The email response service has seen a rise of 32 per cent boosted by a 300 per cent increase in requests for meeting information by members as meetings go online.For help contact www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk or call 0800 917 7650
For Media enquiries please contact: media@aamail.org or call 01904 666764
Notes to Editors: AA non-alcoholic trustees are available for interviews by prior arrangement. Case studies of AA recovering alcoholics who have written 300-600 words of their stories of drinking and sobriety under pseudonyms are also available.
Local AA office staff can pass on media requests for follow-up interviews in all UK regions. Contact:
York 01904 644 026
London 0207 407 0700
Glasgow 0141 226 2214
AA National helpline 0800 9177 650
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Important
The lives of alcoholics and their families depend on the ability to maintain personal anonymity. Members should remain anonymous in the media. Press are invited to attend an open meeting of AA only if accompanied at all times by a representative from Alcoholics Anonymous, arranged in advance with prior consent from meeting attendees. No recording equipment may be used.
We never disclose or pass on email addresses to any third party.
A full range of pre-recorded Public Service Announcements for Radio and Television broadcasts may be obtained by contacting GSO.
Alcoholics Anonymous
PO Box 1
10 Toft Green
York YO1 7NJ.
