A GROUP in Southampton is helping people who struggle with alcoholism to go sober.

Hampshire Sober Connection started about a month ago and is made up of people that have either quit alcohol or who are trying to quit.

The aim of the group is to raise awareness of the support that is there for people struggling with alcohol and to offer a platform where they can come and share their story with other people similar to them.

The group was created by three people, Vanessa Hunt, Phil Busby and Marie Gallé who have all had troubles with alcohol in the past and have now given up.

They currently have about ten members and are looking for new people to join.

Vanessa a DJ from Southampton and one of the founders said: “When you do give up drinking you are still surrounded by loads of friends who drink, so it is really nice to be around people that have also given up.

“We’ve all given up for over a year so we now see alcohol in a different way.

“We now see it like people would see heroin or cocaine.

“We’re not after the people that just have a couple of drinks and then just stop, we’re after the ones that can’t stop.”

With lockdown restrictions this year meaning people have been spending more time at home than ever before, drinking has increased across the country.

Alcohol sales in supermarkets and corner shops jumped by 22% in March, according to consumer analysts Kantar.

Vanessa added: “I’m very glad I gave up drinking before lockdown because I think it would have been a disaster area.

“The statistics are quite scary because people think that drinking deals with stress but it actually does the opposite.

“Because of people being stuck at home and pouring their own measures, they’re drinking because of boredom.”

With the pandemic and social distancing rules, the group haven’t been able to meet physically yet, and have been meeting digitally up until now.

Vanessa said: “We just want it to grow and people to know about us.

“You meet people you would never meet and it helps for people to know that there are people out there that have been through the same thing.

“We want people from all ages, all walks of life.

“We’re all very friendly and not judgemental at all.”

Anyone wanting to join can do so by joining the facebook page.