Alcohol Concern
Alcohol Concern is a UK charity established in 1985.[2] It works to promote effective alcohol policy, and support for people who are affected by alcohol related problems. [3]
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This article is part of the Spinwatch public health oriented Alcohol Portal project. |
Policy Positions
Alcohol Concern along with five other prominent organisations felt unable to support the Department of Health's Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network. Don Shenker, the then chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said "By allowing the drinks industry to propose such half-hearted pledges on alcohol with no teeth, this government has clearly shown that when it comes to public health its first priority is to side with big business and protect private profit.” [4]
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This article is part of the Health Portal project of Spinwatch. |
Funding
Alcohol Concern has been reliant on a grant from the Department of Health for the majority of its annual funding. This represents the organisation's core funding and has amounted to £400,000 a year. The Department of Health has decided to stop providing Alcohol Concern with funding. The loss of this core funding in 2011 has had serious repercussions for the scale and scope of Alcohol Concern's work. The dramatic loss of funding forced the board to restructure the organisation's management structure. The chief executive's post has been reduced to a part time position forcing Don Shenker to leave the charity.[5] Alcohol Concern also receives finance from membership fees and donations and earns income from providing consultancy and training services and hosting conferences. [6] Some believe that the Department of Health refusal to continue to support Alcohol Concern financially is a result of the charity's refusal to support Andrew Lansley's Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network. [7] Government funding of Alcohol Concern and other charities has been fiercely criticised by organisations such as the Taxpayers' Alliance. [8] Eric Appleby takes over from Shenker as chief executive for a year, a role he previously held with the charity for 14 years. [9]
Secretariat Functions
Alcohol Concern act as the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Harm which aims to reduce the amount of alcohol related harm in the UK. The role entails the day to day running and organization of the APPGAH, coordinating events and providing funding for the groups activities or campaigns. Alcohol Concern receive assistance from Lundbeck Ltd for this work; the register of All-Party Groups from September 2015 showed that a grant of (in bands of £1,500) £15,0001-16,500 was paid and registered in January 2015. [10]
References
- ↑ Alcohol Concern, Home Page Alcohol Concern Logo accessed 4th October 2011
- ↑ Charity Commission, Alcohol Concern Accounts 2009/2010 31st March 2010, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Alcohol Concern, Who We Are accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Alcohol Concern, Alcohol Concern pulls out of 'responsibility deal on alcohol' 14th March 2011, accessed 4th October 2011
- ↑ Gemma McKenna, Don Shenker Leaves Alcohol Concern Harpers, 24th October 2011, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Charity Commission, Alcohol Concern Accounts 2009/2010 31st March 2010, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Denis Campbell and James Meikle,£20bn NHS cuts are hitting patients, Guardian investigation reveals The Guardian 17th October 2011, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Matthew Sinclair, Tax Payer Funded Lobbying and Political Campaigning The Taxpayers' Alliance 18th June 2009, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Gemma McKenna, Don Shenker Leaves Alcohol Concern Harpers, 24th October 2011, accessed 26th October 2011
- ↑ Register of All-Party Groups as of 29 September 2015Parliament Website, accessed 7 October 2015
