This Bank Holiday weekend you might be worried about how to approach meeting people outside while being alcohol-free or moderating - so here are some top tips for drinking how you choose to, whatever your weekend plans.

This weekend might be many of our first taste of normality for a long time - and for some of us, normality and drinking might go together. Or maybe you're worried that when you see friends or family for the first time in a long while you might be tempted to go overboard and drink more than you really want to. In this blog we have a few tips for drinking how you want to this Bank Holiday weekend.

Top tips

Remember why you want to keep your drinking under control - write your reasons down or just make sure they're clear in your head, and go back to them if you have a wobble.

If you plan on not drinking, communicate this to whoever you're meeting up with before you see them, so you're both prepared. The people who love and care about us and will usually offer support, not questions or pressure, if they realise this is important to us.

... But of course sometimes we will face pressure to drink. Swerve any 'You're not drinking?! Don't be boring!' comments by brushing up on your drink-refusal skills and making sure you have an alcohol-free or low-alcohol drink at the ready in case someone swoops in and tries to put an alcoholic one in your hand or glass.

If you plan on drinking but want to stay in control, bring what you'd like to have and no more. That way you can keep an eye on how much you've had, and you'll know when it's time to stop.

Actually, I'm staying in!

If you plan on staying in, here are some ideas for alcohol-free fun:

• Pick up/try a new craft - knitting, crochet, origami, felting, sculpting, lino cutting... the options are endless!
• Do something fun with food - bake and/or decorate your own sweet treats, put effort into something simple, or cook something elaborate. For example, you could make spaghetti bolognese but make the pasta from scratch and roll your own meatballs, or make your own pie or quiche.
• Outsource the entertainment you're missing - stand-up and music gigs, music festivals, theatre performances... Many shows are available on YouTube for free or a small fee, and you can purchase shows direct from the artist or ticketing platform too.