STUB IT OUT: Chaimanr Afzal Akram with Lynn Harlon, Janet McCaulsky and a giant cigarette from the Stop Smoking Service. Picture by Roy Tillett
By Martyn DoltonWALTHAM Forest’s Stop Smoking team has won an award for its work in getting locals to stub it out.
The team managed to get 1,666 people in the borough - one of the highest numbers in London - to give it up and were praised for their use of a giant cigarette costume to spread the word.
The team used the costume to catch the imagination of children at Larkswood Primary School, Chingford, in a drama session about how hard it can be for members of their families to stop
smoking.
As a result, 19 parents decided to stop smoking with the help of the NHS Waltham Forest team.
The group met once a week for seven weeks with each smoker given four weeks’ free nicotine replacement, before attending their local ‘drop in to quit’ clinic for more support and a prescription for a further eight weeks.
Lynn Hanlon, Stop Smoking service co-ordinator, said the team was delighted with the award.
She said: “The giant cigarette costume helped us get the message across to the children.
“They then told their parents about the play and its message, and we were on hand to support them with starting the weekly group - it was a great success.”
NHS Waltham Forest’s Stop Smoking service offers free support and advice to smokers who want to stop and the team will be out on the streets at tube stations and supermarkets throughout October to help smokers quit.
Weekly groups run all year, and the next one starts on Satuday, October 30.
If you smoke and want to give up, you can get your free info pack by calling the Stop Smoking service on 020 8430 7443 or e-mail stopsmoking.admin@wf-pct.nhs.uk and quote ‘Yellow Advertiser 01’.
Email: waltham@yellowad.co.uk
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