South East's tea habits revealed ahead of Forces charity Big Brew Up

It’s in the run-up to the charity’s Big Brew Up initiative, which calls on people to use a cuppa and chat as a starting point for connection and support.

New research commissioned by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity confirms that the South East enjoys a cuppa: almost all (85%)confirm they enjoy a cup of tea, above the national average of 81%.

Despite three-fifths (60%) of South East tea drinkers saying a shared cuppa makes tough conversations easier, the habit isn’t universal, just over one in five (22%) never sit down for a drink and a chat – and a third (36%) prefer to have their cup of tea alone.

SSAFA has released the insight ahead of its Big Brew Up, taking place throughout October, which invites people in communities across the UK to come together and share a cup of tea while supporting the Armed Forces community.

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 is a longstanding pillar of Armed Forces culture, 74% of people in the South East have had a positive experience as a result of a brew up. Among those who shared a cuppa, about a third felt calmer (34%) and more connected (33%), and a quarter (25%) used the moment to check in on someone else – turning five minutes into meaningful action.

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 South Easthost 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