Percy the Smokefree Penguin today set out on a tour of the North West to encourage smokers to quit. The North West has more than the national average of smokers with 245 people dying every week from smoking related diseases.
Now Smokefree Northwest is launching a new roadshow which will tour 25 shopping centres across the region aimed at helping people stop smoking. The roadshow is part of a new television advertising campaign ‘One Way Street’ and features Percy the Smokefree Penguin.
The campaign was launched at the Chill Factore indoor real snow ski centre in Trafford, where Percy the Penguin, along with Pat Karney, Director of Smokefree Manchester, and Trafford Stop Smoking Service.
Smoking costs the NHS in the region an estimated £194 million per year and the North West has some of the highest rates in England for deaths from heart disease, stroke, cancer and smoking related illnesses. Over the past ten years, North West Stop Smoking Services have collectively helped 371,693 people quit smoking. It is hoped that hitting the streets to speak to smokers through Percy the Smokefree Penguin and the One Way Street campaign will help drive more people to seek the free NHS support they need to quit smoking.
Percy the Smokefree Penguin and friends
Andrea Crossfield, Director of Smokefree Northwest, added: Sadly, more than one third of 17-year-olds in the North West are smokers. Half of those who continue smoking will eventually be killed by their habit.
“Through the One Way Street campaign, we are going directly out into town centres with Percy the Penguin to talk to smokers face to face about how they can quit smoking. You are never on your own and it is much easier to quit with professional NHS support.”
During the next month, Percy the Smokefree Penguin will join a team of Smokefree North West staff to tour shopping centres in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria to give out advice to shoppers on how they can give up smoking with free NHS support. The tour will be chronicled in the blog www.percypenguinontour.blogspot.com.
(insert case study)
Pat Karney, has recently won an award for making an Outstanding Contribution to Stop Smoking Services, says “I am delighted to support this campaign. Smoking can impair so many lives, and it is vitally important that we do all we can to protect young people from the dangers of tobacco and ensure that the next generation grow up in a smoke free world.”
Call XXX to be directed to your local Stop Smoking Service for free professional NHS support to help you quit smoking.
Notes to editors
- Contact Anne Arnold at COI News & PR North West for photographs from the launch event and to arrange an interview with Pat Carney from Smokefree Manchester or XXX from Trafford Stop Smoking Service on 0161 618 1627.
- During October and November, Percy the Smokefree Penguin will be visiting the following locations:
- Cheshire Oaks (Thurs 1/10/09 to Sat 3/10/09)
- Huyton Thurs (Thurs 1/10/09 to Sat 3/10/09)
- Lancaster (Thurs 1/10/09 to Sat 3/10/09)
- Carlisle (Thurs 1/10/09 to Sat 3/10/09)
- Wigan (Mon 28/09/09 to Sun 18/10/09)
- Manchester (Mon 28/09/09 to Sun 18/10/09)
- Bolton (Mon 28/09/09 to Sun 18/10/09)
- Blackburn (Mon 28/09/09 to Sun 11/10/09)
- Crewe (Thurs 8/10/09 to Sat 10/10/09)
- Birkenhead (Thurs 8/10/09 to Sat 10/10/09)
- Bootle (Thurs 8/10/09 to Sat 10/10/09)
- Burnley (Thurs 8/10/09 to Sat 10/10/09)
- Blackpool (Mon 12/10/09 to Sun 25/10/09)
- Preston (Mon 12/10/09 to Sun 25/10/09)
- Workington (Thurs 15/10/09 to Sat 17/10/09)
- Barrow (Thurs 15/10/09 to Sat 17/10/09)
- Ashton-under-Lyne (Thurs 15/10/09 to Sat 17/10/09)
- Bury (Thurs 15/10/09 to Sat 17/10/09)
- Warrington (Mon 19/10/09 to Sun 08/11/09)
- Runcorn (Mon 19/10/09 to Sun 08/11/09)
- Trafford (Thurs 22/10/09 to Sat 24/10/09)
- Stockport (Thurs 22/10/09 to Sat 24/10/09)
- Oldham (Thurs 22/10/09 to Sat 24/10/09)
- Salford (Thurs 22/10/09 to Sat 24/10/09)
- Liverpool (Mon 02/11/09 to Sun 08/11/09)
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SMOKEFREE NORTH WEST BY COI NEWS & PR NORTH WEST
Tags: quit
