- A nation of tea-drinkers, new research from SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity shows nearly 1 in 3 UK adults reach for a cup of tea when feeling stressed.
- More than 60% of UK tea drinkers say a cup of tea makes having hard conversations easier.
- SSAFA calls on the nation to join the Big Brew Up in October, fostering connection and community in support of the Armed Forces.
New research commissioned by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity reveals that the UK remains a nation of tea drinkers, with 81% confirming they enjoy a cuppa. For one in three (31%), a cup of tea is the first thing they turn to when feeling stressed.
SSAFA has released the research ahead of its Big Brew Up, taking place throughout October, which invites people in communities across the UK to share a cup of tea while supporting Armed Forces families.
A “Brew Up” is a term used across the military for coming together for a quick pause over a cup of tea, which is recognised as an important ritual among Armed Forces personnel. Most serving military personnel and veterans that have been involved in a brew up agree that they are important for morale and camaraderie during service (75%) and it makes them feel closer to home (66%).
While a Brew Up has served as a longstanding pillar of Armed Forces culture, nearly three quarters of the British public have had a positive experience as a result of a brew up. Almost a third (30%) felt more connected to the person they had the Brew Up with, and one in three (31%) reported feeling calmer afterwards. A quarter (24%) said that the Brew Up helped them check in on the other person’s wellbeing.
It’s also backed by science, with research showing that simply holding a warm drink can unconsciously make us feel warmer towards others.
Dan Thwaites, co-founder at Capuchin Behavioural Science, explains:
“Holding a cup of tea can create what psychologists call embodied cognition. One study by Williams and Bargh1 showed that the physical warmth of the drink can unconsciously translate into emotional warmth – which probably explains why having a cuppa makes us feel warmer towards the people we are with.”
Amy Bartlett, Head of Volunteer Operations at SSAFA, said:
“In the military, the Brew Up is a morale booster and stress reliever. It strengthens bonds, particularly on deployment or after tough days.
“At SSAFA, a Brew Up is often the starting point of offering support. Our volunteers and employees build rapport by sharing a simple cuppa when they first meet a member of our Armed Forces family who needs some support. It can often help to bring people together.
“We’d love to see people across the UK host and attend Big Brew Up events this October, raising funds to help us support serving Armed Forces personnel, veterans and their families, so they never battle alone.”
How to get involved
More information on hosting a Big Brew Up with friends, family, colleagues, or within a community group, is available on the SSAFA website.
Register, download the free pack, or donate at www.ssafa.org.uk/bbu
