Have You Taken Up the Stoptober Challenge?

Find out how your health could improve by kicking the habit

Stoptober is back and is urging smokers to join in the challenge that saw over 215,000 participants take part in 2015. Visit the NHS Smokefree website to find out more.

Public Health England (PHE) is behind the campaign based on research demonstrating that the smokers were 5 times more likely to quit permanently if they achieve 28 days without smoking.

Stoptober sets clear goals, provide support and participants get to feel they are not alone in their efforts. Additionally you can hand pick from a range of tools provided including support packs, face to face consultations and a number of digital apps and services.

Official figures show that smoking in England has dropped by 37% in 30 years. The NHS is committed to seeing smoking figures drop further still.

Here are ten ways that your health will improve if you quit smoking:

Breathing easy: Lung capacity improves by up to 10% within nine months of quitting.
More energy: Quitting boosts your immune system, improves blood circulations and increases oxygen in your body, making all physical activity easier.
Stress less: While people often smoke in times of stress, nicotine withdrawal itself heightens stress significantly.
Better sex: Trouble in the bedroom? Quitting can help with erectile dysfunction and generally improves sensitivity in males and females.
Improving fertility: Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and the potency of men’s sperm.
Smell and taste: Your sense of smell and taste improves when you quit smoking.
The skin you’re in: Smoking causes wrinkles and facial ageing.
Teeth and breath: Your teeth are whiter and your breath is sweeter when you quit.
Live fast, die old: Half of all smokers die as a result of their habit.
Family and friends: secondhand smoke harms your loved ones.

The Kick it! Stop Smoking Service for Hammersmith and Fulham offers a free 6 week one-to-one programme to help people quit smoking. The service has drop-in clinics across the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham as well as Stop Smoking Advisors based in GP Practices and Pharmacies. Find out more here.

Here's where to find the sessions:

Monday

Monday Afternoon Individual Sessions- 1pm till 6.30pm
Cassidy Road Medical Centre, 651A Fulham Road, London SW6

Monday Afternoon Individual Sessions- 2pm till 5.30pm
Shepherd’s Bush Library, 6 Wood Lane, London W12

Tuesday

Tuesday Afternoon Individual Sessions – 2pm till 4.30pm
Imperial Health at Work, Hammersmith House. Call Geraldine on 07860 750693

Wednesday

Wednesday Morning Individual Sessions – 9am till 12am
Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial Health at Work, 4th Floor

Wednesday Morning Stop Smoking 1:1 Individual Sessions – 9:30am till 11:30am
Hammersmith Centre for Health, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road W12

Wednesday Evening Clinic – 4:30pm till 7:30pm
Parkview Centre for Health & Wellbeing, Bloemfontein Road, White City
Meet in Meeting Room 2 (on the right when facing Reception). Call Victor on 07860 750 695

Wednesday Lunchtime Mobile Clinic- 11am-4pm
VW Van, Shepherd’s Bush Green London W12

Thursday

Afternoon/evening Appointment Clinic – 3.30pm till 7.30pm
Hammersmith Library: Shepherds Bush Road – Opposite Police Station
(Sessions take place in Teen Zone Room) Call Victor on 07860 750 695

Thursday Drop-In Clinic – 4.00pm till 6.00pm
Nile Valley Community Centre, Cocoon House, Market Approach, Shepherds Bush, W12
Call Mohammed on: 0207 227 0644
mohammed.mansour@theabbeycentre.org.uk
Sessions available in Arabic
Delivered by Abbey Centre in collaboration with St Mungo’s Broadway

Thursday Morning Individual Sessions- 10am till noon
Old Oak Community Centre, 76 Braybrook Street, London W12

Thursday Afternoon Individual Sessions - 3pm till 6pm
Fulham Library, 598 Fulham Road, London SW6

Thursday Afternoon Individual Sessions – 3.30pm – 5pm
The Bush Doctors 16-17 West 12 Shopping Centre, Shepherds Bush, London W12
Call Kevin on 07860 750 699

Friday

Friday All Day Clinic – 8am till 4pm
Parkview Centre for Health & Wellbeing: Bloemfontein Road, White City
Room 14. Call Victor on 07860 750 695

Fulham Friday Morning Stop Smoking Group – 10am till 11am
Lillie Road Surgery, 82 Lillie Road, London SW6

Saturday

Hammersmith Saturday Morning Stop Smoking Group – 9.30am till 11am
The Bush Doctors Surgery, Unit 16-17, West 12 Shopping Centre, London W12

Polish Clinic. POSK (Polish Community Centre) 2.30pm till 4pm
238 – 242 King Street, Hammersmith, W6 0RF. Call Kamila on 07752059506

You can also call the Kick It helpline for more information on 0203 434 2500.

October 14, 2016