Stoptober roadshow comes to Sunderland
Is it a UFO? Is it a bouncy castle? No, its the giant red Stoptober wheel which will be turning heads in Sunderland city centre in a day of quitting.
The national Stoptober roadshow will be outside The Bridges in Sunderland this Friday, 20th September, from 10am-6pm, encouraging hundreds of people to sign up for the nation’s biggest ever quit smoking initiative.
Smokers will be able to stop while they shop and register for all the free support available online and through the post during Stoptober. They will also be able to chat to stop smoking advisers from Sunderland NHS Stop Smoking Service who can talk through all the local support available.
To spread the word further, the giant red Stop wheel from the TV advert will be pushed around the city centre, leaving Sunderland AFC Stadium of Light at 11.30am to join the event.
The wheel will be pushed by ultra-marathon runner and ex-40-a-day smoker Rory Coleman.
Jo Dickinson, manager of Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Stop Smoking Service, said: “This is a great chance for people in and around Sunderland on Friday to take a step that can change their life for the better.
“It’s not very often a trip to the shops can save you money, but quitting smoking can be a fantastic way to boost your personal finances and have more money to spend on nicer things.
“We’d urge anyone who smokes and has ever thought about quitting to drop by and find out more. It’s never too late to stop!”
Councillor John Kelly, Sunderland City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Wellness and Culture, will be joining the thousands planning to quit as part of this year’s campaign.
He added: “Giving up smoking is never going to be easy but it’s really heartening to think that around two thirds of the 275 000 people who took part in last year’s Stoptober campaign managed to stay quit.
“I think just that fact that you know so many other people are going to be going through the same struggles as you really will help. So I’d urge anyone who is thinking of giving up smoking to get themselves along to the roadshow on Market Square on Friday.”
Stoptober is a 28 day initiative from Public Health England, which is backed by Fresh and encourages the North East’s 460,000 smokers to make a quit attempt, starting on October 1.
Someone stopping smoking for 28 days is five times more likely to stay quit, Along with the health benefits, stopping will save the average smoker over £150 a month and almost £2,000 a year.
To register for Stoptober, all you have to do is click on smokefree.nhs.uk/Stoptober/
If you want to quit smoking and want local support, you can also contact theGateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Stop SmokingServices on 0800 531 6317, or pop into your local pharmacy.