Ocsober is a fundraising initiative that encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October.

The money raised goes to Life Education, the organization behind the iconic educational mascot, Healthy Harold. For 30 years, the loveable giraffe has been teaching Australian children how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse. This year, Ocsober aims to raise $750,000 to help Life Education and Healthy Harold go into even more schools across Australia.

Ocsober is also an important opportunity to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians. Participants can also enjoy other potential benefits from a month off alcohol including feeling healthier and fitter, weight loss and the chance to enjoy Sunday mornings again!

If that isn’t enough there are plenty of other reasons why participating in Ocsober and supporting Healthy Harold and Life Education is worthwhile:

• More than 22,000 people die in Australia each year as a result of alcohol and drug abuse
• Every 24 minutes an Australian dies through either legal or illegal drugs
• By the age of 15, almost one third of teenagers are binge drinking
• Teenagers who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who don’t start until they are 21

Signing up to Ocsober is an easy way to help do something about it. Luckily, for those with a special occasion during October, Leave Passes can be bought to get the night off!