Stoptober campaign offers smokers help to quit

Patsy Fung, centre, with Curtis Michael, Support Time and Recovery Worker and Deborah Brooke, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, at the Bracton Centre
Patsy Fung, centre, with Curtis Michael, Support Time and Recovery Worker and Deborah Brooke, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, at the Bracton Centre

Smokers who are fed up with lighting up can get help to kick the habit as part of a special stop smoking campaign this month.

Stoptober is a national initiative which annually aims to help people stop smoking for the whole of October. Research shows that if you give up smoking for four weeks, you are five times more likely to quit for good.

Following their highly successful 'Fresh Air' campaign last year, our Forensic and Prison Services are continuing to encourage people to quit. While smoking cessation clinics are a weekly feature throughout the year, Lead Occupational Therapist Patsy Fung explains that they are having a special push for Stoptober: "Smoking cessation advisers employed respectively by Greenwich and Bexley councils run clinics at Memorial Hospital and at the Bracton Centre. They have put up special Stoptober posters and in November will be offering training to patients and staff to become smoking cessation advisers. These clinics are aimed at service users and staff alike and have been really successful."

You can get help and advice from local stop smoking services at:

Greenwich
Call free on: 0800 587 5833
Text 'QUIT' to 60060
Bexley
all free on: 0800 783 2514
Email: stopsmoking@bexley.gov.uk
Bromley
Call free on: 0800 587 8821
Text 'QUIT' to 88010
Email: bromh.bromleystopsmoking@nhs.net

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is also running a roadshow three days a week for Stoptober. Staffed by stop smoking advisers from Charlton Athletic Community Trust, it's touring the borough encouraging people to sign up for free support to help them quit.

The Stoptober roadshow will be at the following locations until Saturday November 8.

  • Tuesdays - Eltham Orangery Lane 10am-5pm
  • Fridays - Abbey Wood Park, 10am-5pm
  • Saturdays - General Gordon Square - 11am-5pm.

Other support offered includes:

  • A free seven-week group programme at Charlton Athletic Football Club and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the evenings offering a chance to quit with other smokers who are facing the same challenges.
  • Drop-in stop smoking clinics in local leisure centres, libraries and community centres:
    • Tuesdays 10am-5pm: Valley Central, Charlton Athletic Football Stadium
    • Wednesdays 10am-5pm : Eltham Centre
    • Thursdays 10am- 12pm: Coldharbour Library
    • Thursdays 12pm-7pm: Thamesmere Leisure Centre
    • Thursdays 5pm-7pm: Valley Central, Charlton Athletic Football Stadium
    • Fridays 10am-3pm: Clover Health Centre, Woolwich
    • Saturdays 11am-3pm: Woolwich Centre Library

Useful links

Published on 10th October 2014