We’re excited to join partners across Yorkshire and the Humber in launching a new regional stop smoking campaign, asking residents what they will miss more than smoking.
Looking at occasions like weddings, births and quality time with loved ones, the new Yes to Quit campaign is being rolled out far and wide to encourage more people to think about quitting.
As part of our Make Smoking Invisible work, we’re helping more people in Barnsley to go smoke-free and enjoy the health, wellbeing and financial benefits that come from quitting.
Over the last twelve years, we have seen a significant drop in our smoking prevalence rates, bolstered by the expert support offered by Barnsley’s stop smoking services.
Barnsley is also one of the top areas for successful quit rates, showing the impact the right support can have throughout someone’s smoke-free journey.
This would not be possible without great partnership working, both locally as part of our Tobacco Control Alliance and regionally on campaigns like Yes to Quit and Smokefree Starts.
Supported by the national ambition to create a smoke-free generation, this emotive campaign has been created to help ground quitting in those special moments none of us want to miss.
Throughout the campaign, people will be sharing their experiences of quitting and what worked for them, inspiring more people to come forward for support.
We have exciting plans to bring the campaign to life for our communities, with special performances planned to take place in our town centre next month. Please keep an eye out across Barnsley Council’s channels for more information about this.
Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “We’re committed to making smoking invisible in Barnsley, working closely with our partners to make sure our communities have the right support to go smoke-free. We’ve made great strides in creating a smoke-free generation, something which national developments will help us to realise, but we want to go further to help more people locally who are thinking of quitting.
“We’re therefore proud to be part of the new Yes to Quit campaign, starting more conversations about stopping smoking. By working together across Yorkshire and the Humber, we hope to reach more people and help them find the right support for them.”
Scott Crosby, Associate Director for the Humber and North Yorkshire Centre for Excellence in Tobacco Control, said: “This campaign is a stark reminder that smoking kills two in three long-term smokers, claiming over 7,500 lives in Yorkshire and Humber alone.
“That’s why we’re uniting across the region to help people quit and protect future generations from ever starting smoking. Most people want to stop and with the right support, it’s much easier. Thousands successfully quit every year and live healthier, longer lives.
“If you’ve tried before, don’t stop trying. Your next attempt could be one that works.”
The Yes to Quit website shares information about ways to quit and links people across the region to stop smoking services in their local area.
In Barnsley, NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Barnsley’s friendly, trained advisors are here to help people every step of the way of their quitting journey.
They offer a wide range of free, confidential support to make stopping smoking much easier, including their online quit tool, advice helpline and support clinics across the borough.
If you’ve been thinking about stopping smoking or giving quitting another go, find out how their team can help you by visiting their website or calling 0800 612 0011.
