Chris Raine

Anti-binge drinking campaigner

2012 QLD Young Australian of the Year

Chris Raine is the founder and CEO of Hello Sunday Morning (HSM), an organisation that challenges young people to give up alcohol for three, six or 12 months at a time. Chris’ goal for the organisation is to break his generation’s unhealthy obsession with binge drinking. While working at an advertising agency on an anti-alcohol campaign he first became interested in communicating to young people the adverse effects of excessive alcohol. In January 2009, Chris decided to abstain from alcohol for a year and began writing a blog to record his journey. The HSM blog and website are now influencing participants aged from 18 to 73 to reconsider their drinking habits. To change Australia’s drinking culture, Chris says young people need to believe in an alternative that will improve their lives, provide a sense of purpose and help build meaningful relationships. HSM has received major funding from The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, along with the Brisbane City Council and the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Organisation. The not-for-profit organisation has so far helped more than 2,250 people share their short-term abstinence experience.  Chris has already made a huge impact in combating the problem and he now intends to take the program to students in universities around Australia and New Zealand.