Unitas supports drink-driving campaign in Shropshire

UK’s leading wholesale distributor and buying group Unitas is backing a newly-launched drink-driving campaign fronted by premium water brand Wenlock Spring.

Unitas Wholesale, which has a buying power in excess of £8 billion and 155 independent businesses within the group, has backed calls by the Shropshire firm for people to stop and think before they get behind the wheel of a car this Christmas.

Wenlock Spring has launched ‘The Only One for the Road’ campaign in conjunction with West Mercia Police and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to encourage drivers not to risk even one alcoholic drink if they are driving.

Lee Wharton, who is a Trading Controller at Unitas Wholesale and has spent 20 years in the brewery industry, said, “We believe this campaign carries a very important message which should be shared and supported far and wide. The majority of people make the right choice when it comes to drink-driving, but unfortunately there are still others who don’t.”

In the last three years, 23 people have died and 154 have been seriously injured in collisions where alcohol has been listed as a contributory factor across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Across the region, 156 people were arrested in the run up to last Christmas for being over the limit whilst behind the wheel.

Wharton added, “The stats around accidents relating to drink-driving will be painful for some people, but they illustrate the importance of driving the message home that people need to think about what they are drinking.”

With freshly-liveried delivery vans, Wenlock Spring has also printed more than 100,000 beer mats, posters and tent cards with the message for drivers to steer clear of alcohol.

Matthew Orme, director at Wenlock Spring, said, “We’re very proud to have launched the campaign and to see the support it is getting across different sectors is fantastic. We are very grateful that Unitas is publicly supporting the campaign and sharing the important message it carries with its members. Far too many people are still dying or getting injured as a result of drink-driving and highlighting the dangers becomes even more important as we approach the festive season.”

Wenlock Spring is a second generation family business based at Wolverton, near Church Stretton, and its water is sourced from a protected historic spring, dating back to 1086 which is located near the famous Wenlock Edge.

Superintendent Steph Brighton, for West Mercia Police, said: “It’s extremely frustrating that some motorists inexcusably still drive under the influence of alcohol. There is no foolproof way of calculating how much you can drink and remain under the limit, or knowing how much an individual person can drink and still drive safely.

“Any amount of alcohol can affect your ability to drive and there are numerous consequences of driving with alcohol in your system. Enforcement already takes place 24/7 across the whole of our area in order to detect those who are willing to take the risk and to protect other road users. We welcome campaigns such as this and hope that more people over the Christmas period choose a suitable alternative to alcohol if they are driving.”