A SCHEME to reduce smoking prevalence in Barnsley’s worst-affected wards will be launched on Monday.
Councillors on the North East Area Council, which covers Monk Bretton, Cudworth, Royston and North East wards, opted to approve £30,000 towards recruiting the expert to host drop-in sessions and put on events in the area’s villages.
Sarah Sverdloff, the stop smoking specialist, will provide targeted help through clinics and advice sessions in the community, which will take place daily in Grimethorpe, Royston, Cudworth and Lundwood.
It is a free service for people who live and work in Brierley, Carlton, Cudworth, Great Houghton, Grimethorpe, Lundwood, Monk Bretton, Shafton, Smithies and Royston.
Sarah said: “I’m really looking forward to working in the North East area and helping residents to kick the habit for good.
“By attending one of my weekly sessions, people are able to access a range of advice and stop smoking medications. This means they are four times more likely to quit than by will power alone.”
The move comes after the area council commissioned a health report which found smoking prevalence across Barnsley was at 21.2 per cent - which equates to more than 52,000 smokers in the town or more than one in five people.
Monk Bretton, Cudworth, Royston and North East wards’ combined population stands at just over 45,000 which, with an average of 12,000 smokers - or around one in four residents - means it’s the borough’s worst-affected area.
Sessions will take place at The Acorn Centre, Grimethorpe, on Monday from 1pm; Grimethorpe Family Centre, on Tuesday from 9am; Royston Library, on Tuesday from 1pm; Royston Group Practice, on Wednesday from 1pm; Cudworth Centre of Excellence, on Thursday from 1pm and Lundwood Family Centre, on Friday from 2pm.
Coun Joe Hayward, the chairman of the North East Area Council, said: “A range of stop smoking medications, support and advice will be available to people who live and work in this area who would like to stop smoking. We are very happy to be able to help people to be able to access this service in their local communities.”
It is part of a Barnsley-wide objective to drive the smoking percentage down to 18 per cent by 2020, which will involve working with Public Health England on licensing policies around tobacco sales and councillors have been told that every department within the authority has a part to play.
Smoke-free schools have been introduced as part of the work to reduce levels, which centres around making the habit invisible to children.
That follows on from national legislation to hide cigarettes from view in shops and, although the council cannot legally stop people smoking in open spaces, the policy is seen as a statement of intent.
