Sheffield Children Prove “They’d do anything”
NHS Sheffield and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have come together to help smokers in the city join the millions of UK smokers to quit smoking on National No Smoking day on Wednesday 10th March.
This year seventeen 13 year old students from Valley Park Primary school will perform ‘I’d Do Anything’ from ‘Oliver’ on the City Hall steps. The song forms part of the national Department of Health advertising campaign currently featuring on TV with a simple theme: that kids would be prepared to do anything for their parents if their parents stopped smoking.
Claire Holden, service manager for NHS Sheffield’s stop smoking service said:” Research shows 96% of children whose parents smoke want them to quit, and that quitting for your loved ones is the most motivating factor for a large majority of smokers, above health.
“We hope this will encourage parents in particular to pledge to quit, therefore improving their own health and the health of their children. We have community stop smoking advisers running advice sessions for parents of Valley Park Primary pupils on a Wednesday morning at the school.”
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue District Manager Dick Hutton said: “Unfortunately, many people die in fires caused by smoking. Smoking materials are the single largest source of fatal fires, with 41% of fatal accidental house fires starting this way. The safest way to protect yourself and your children from fire is to quit smoking altogether, which is why we are keen to support our partners at NHS Sheffield on this annual national drive.”
In line with this year’s No Smoking Day theme of ‘breaking the chain’ of smoking, children’ are getting involved to help get the message across to their parents as statistics show that children whose parents smoke are two and three times more likely to smoke than those who come from non-smoking homes* – so we are looking to break that chain now.
The Stop smoking service is also asking people to sign pledges this year to quit smoking. The pledge could be who you are quitting smoking for – a child, or loved one, or why you are quitting smoking this year – to improve your health or save money.
To make your pledge, or for help to quit smoking, please ring freephone 0800 068 4490, visit www.sheffieldstopsmoking.org.uk or text QUIT4 to 88020
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