'You can still have fun at a festival while sober'

Young people are increasingly choosing not to drink alcohol, according to the latest statistics.

But what about when it comes to festivals, which are usually synonymous with drinking?

The organisers of Latitude Festival in Suffolk noticed the trend and decided to have two bars dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks.

They are also hosting Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at the festival in Henham Park, near Halesworth, for the first time.

Best friends Megan and Charlotte are having a great time at the festival while sober.

Megan is "an addict in recovery" and has not drunk for two years. She now only socialises with people who are of a similar mindset.

"There is definitely a sober movement, and there's not as much pressure to get drunk, but you still need support to make the right choices," the 31-year-old from Ireland says.

Charlotte, who is 25 and from Manchester, relied on alcohol to cope with her anxiety when she was a teenager but now feels confident enough to stay sober at social events.

"I haven't drunk for two years now and I feel so much more comfortable in myself. I don't have the comedown from alcohol and I can be fully present," she adds.

Similarly, Maya and Darcie, both aged 18, say their friends are not bothered about drinking.

"We don't drink a huge amount anyway, we don't need it to have fun. We're not drinking this weekend because it's so expensive, it's not good for your health and we're more likely to stay safe," Maya says.

Taylor Bowmaker, 27, does usually drink at festivals but has decided not to this time.

"I'm taking part in some events here like meditation. Latitude is a very wholesome festival, there are lots of things to do for your mental health and wellbeing," she says.

"I want to be fully present, to feel a bit more alive in my body and be healthier and I want to remember everything."

• There are now more non-drinkers in their late teens and 20s than at any point in the last decade

• 38% of 16 to 24-year-olds and 21% of 25 to 34-year-olds in England either don't drink or have not drunk in the last 12 months, according to NHS statistics for 2021

• Ten years earlier, in 2011, these figures were 19% and 16% respectively

• Young people are statistically much less likely to drink than any other age groups, with just 19% of 45-54s and 15% of 55-64s and 65-74s abstaining from alcohol

John Thursfield, 40, from London, stopped drinking five years ago and says it has become a lot easier recently because there are so many alcohol-free drink options.

"I think I will save about £300 this weekend. I'd just had enough of drinking. I don't feel like I'm missing out, you learn how to dance and have fun and make friends while sober.

"It makes you more confident in life," he adds.

Mandy Manners is a life and recovery coach who is hosting a discussion panel at the festival about living a sober and happy life.

The 44-year-old, who was born in Monk Soham in Suffolk and now lives in France, is nearly seven years sober.

"As a young person in the 90s, I really bought into being a ladette as some form of feminism, the right to be able to drink a lot or drink like men as part of my female emancipation," she says. "I didn’t feel like I was enough just as I was."

The mother-of-two says things "spiralled out of control" when she had children.

"I was terrified about how I could keep my daughter safe. I had chronic insomnia and the social binge drinking turned into nightly wine drinking to help me sleep."

It was a "long journey" but she eventually managed to give up alcohol.

Three years ago she got Latitude tickets and emailed ahead to see if they had any areas for sober people.

She says the festival has since embraced sobriety, with an alcohol-free bar on site for the first time last year and alcohol-free beer served at most of the main bars.

This year there are two alcohol-free bars and a recovery tent at Latitude for the first time, with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

"I think more young people are more concerned about their health and image due to social media, also they know more about mental health and have a lot more insight into the impact of alcohol, so drinking to excess is less attractive to them.

"It can feel scary to dance sober but when you do it’s a really empowering experience," she adds.

Sam Phillips is sharing his story on stage at Latitude, in the hope that "young people learn from my mistakes".

The 38-year-old, who lives in Felixstowe, Suffolk, started drinking aged 13 to try to cope with his anxiety.

"I had a lot of mental health issues and health anxiety. I went over the field with my friends and had some cider and those fears just went away," he says.

"I remember thinking 'this must be what normal feels like' and I developed a reliance on alcohol from then on."

The father-of-two started having panic attacks. At the age of 18, he started taking cocaine.

Aged 25, he had his first daughter and managed to get sober for a few years but had several relapses.

Now he has been sober for three years and says he feels the "strongest mentally and physically" he has ever been.

The chef, who has just opened a sandwich shop in Felixstowe, posts about his sobriety on social media "to hold myself to account" and also credits wild swimming with helping him stay on the right path.

"When I was growing up it was cool to get smashed but for the younger generation, it's cool to be sober," he says.

"I've lost out on so many memories due to drinking but these people are here at Latitude and they are completely present and they will remember every moment."

• You can find more information and support about drinking through BBC Action Line

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