SI PARRY
Si Parry had the heart to make a difference and the charisma to inspire
We were devastated to hear of the sudden death of Si Parry , on 3 February , of natural causes . Si and Sue were known to so many as passionate and effective activists as well as kind and caring friends . They were a much-valued part of our DDN conference team for so many years and kept in regular touch about their vital activities at Morph in Southampton , where they helped to keep so many people safe and informed about harm reduction and unsafe drugs in circulation , while giving much-needed advocacy around services . Their regular newsletter / fanzine Morphin ’ achieved cult status . Our deepest sympathies to his family ; he will be greatly missed as these reactions show …
‘ Si ’ s loss has been a great shock to the many people who loved him .’
‘ What a sad loss . I loved Si ’ s energy .’ ‘ He was the kindest , most gentle soul .’
‘ He was such a lovely bloke , and one of the core stalwarts back in the day .’
‘ When I met Si , I was a bit awestruck to be honest . I had been “ user organising ” for 16 years already but he had managed to get state support to do it via his local voluntary sector NGO . This was very grown up to me ... I had immediate respect . The UK is losing a good man . May he rest in peace and power . Huge love and strength to his nearest and dearest at this time .’
‘ ALWAYS a pleasure to both know and work with Si and Sue and to spend time with them both .’
‘ He was such a force for good and change . I learnt so much from him on how to fight the system with kindness . I have so many great memories . He was a legend , kind , sweet and so passionate about helping others .’
‘ Si was amazing , so friendly , fun and wise .’
‘ Si was a grassroots activist who did so much for the drug-using community . Living the punk ethos to the full .’
‘ One of the nicest guys ’.
‘ I worked with Si and Sue when I was covering their region with my job at the Alliance … They both took me under their wing and made me feel so welcome .’
‘ They say the good die young … Si was a good one !’
‘ I remember Si and Sue well from conferences and I remember Morph well too . They were inspirational to me on my own journey and gave me great advice on setting up a similar fanzine .’
‘ I hung out with Si and Sue when I went to the DDN conference . We always find our own . Really lovely fella .’
‘ What an amazing man . I saw Si give so much to the cause he was so passionate about – he held the hands of many of those who joined after him , and it was always a pleasure to see him , speak to him and watch him schmooze the room seeking out those who had the power the change things for those he cared about representing . What a loss to his family , friends and colleagues , current and past , and to mankind as a whole .’
‘ We all had such good times at the conferences together , those days truly were to be treasured .’
‘ Rest in punk , you beautiful being .’
LETTERS AND COMMENT
LET ’ S LOOK AT LIFESTYLE
We ’ re writing in response to the article about peer pressure , habit and lifestyle as determinants of heavy drinking among the baby boomers ( DDN , Feb , p6 ). It ’ s very significant that such factors affect different sectors of the population and that younger generations drink much less in general . Overall , attention to myriad factors and focus on the many different profiles of population are crucial .
The article also refers to concerns about marketing and sport . Our own primary work is about gambling , and here it is younger generations that are most affected by peer behaviour , habit and lifestyle . It is worth noting that the consumption of alcohol and other drugs is highly associated with gambling disorder : a major study for instance concluded that 73 per cent of people encountering severe gambling distress are suffering at the same time from alcohol dependence .
Overall , while importantly bearing in mind variations in sub-populations , the pervasiveness of marketing and sponsorship of gambling and alcohol normalise these culturally . This would be another determinant of older people ’ s behaviours but applies across populations . Television advertisements combine the excitement of gambling with that of sport and some choose to set the scene in a pub . The relationship between gambling and drinking ( and other drugs ) is not frequently discussed .
The writer Jack London ( Call of the Wild among many other books ) was a very heavy drinker and he suffered badly with it . In his memoir about alcohol , John Barleycorn , he is in no doubt what attracted him to it in the first place . He writes :
‘ My first contacts with alcohol , told of my first intoxications and revulsions , and pointed out always the one thing that in the end had won me over – namely , the accessibility of alcohol . Not only had it always been accessible , but every interest of my developing life had drawn me to it . A newsboy on the streets , a sailor , a miner , a wanderer in far lands , always where men came together to exchange ideas , to laugh and boast and dare , to relax , to forget the
14 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • MARCH 2023 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM