Remember the non-drinkers when you're planning a party

Sarah and Martin.

I never realised how much alcohol is a part of our lives until a friend of mine stopped drinking it.

There are many reasons a person chooses not to drink alcohol. It could be for religious or cultural reasons, because you're pregnant, sober driving, taking part in Dry July or, God forbid, just don't want to.

And the more I think about it, the more I'm concerned about how much we cater for those who drink alcohol and how little we cater for those who don't.

Recently Martin and I emceed a large event which included dinner and drinks. I was stunned to discover the only thing on offer that wasn't alcoholic was water or orange juice. The fact that the orange juice ran out before the evening was halfway through leads me to believe there may be more non-drinkers out there than people think.

So why is it that when you go to a social occasion, so often there is a huge range of alcoholic beverages to choose from and just one or two non-alcoholic?

I recently read about a woman who gave up drinking because she felt it was starting to control her life. Her first social occasion after making that decision was a party at someone's house. The invite explained drinks would be provided but when this person arrived, she found the only non-alcoholic drink on offer was water from the tap.

At recent dinners out I have been disappointed with the range of non-alcoholic drinks available and was a little surprised when my friend asked for a mocktail and was then asked by the waiter if they'd like vodka in it?

There are many problems surrounding our alcohol consumption in this country; perhaps one of the things that needs to be looked at closely is what we are offering those who are not drinking alcohol.

I'm not against alcohol and enjoy a tipple or two myself, but when you go out somewhere and there are 50-plus wines andbeers to choose from but only water or juice for the non-drinkers, it just doesn't seem fair or right.