Forty-two smokers at a Co Armagh company will be supporting each other as they aim to kick the habit on this year’s No Smoking Day.
The team at Interface Manufacturing Europe, based in Lurgan, are in the process of quitting smoking in the lead up to Wednesday, March 11.
The men have all availed of the Southern Trust’s Stop Smoking Service, and have attended an on-site clinic in their workplace over the past number of weeks.
The Trust Stop Smoking Service, funded by the Public Health Agency, has a great success rate with 69% of smokers who have used the service quitting.
Sorcha Eastwood, Human Resources Officer in Interface Manufacturing Europe said: “As part of our staff health and wellbeing strategy we encourage and support employees to adopt healthier lifestyles and we are delighted that so many of our staff have successfully stopped smoking. We will continue to support other staff who want to quit smoking”.
One of the employees at Interface said: “It has been great to have this option and support provided at work and the smoking cessation specialist, Valerie Gough has been a great help.”
Lynne Smart, Acting Head of Health Improvement in the Southern Trust, highlighted that whilst 22% of people smoke in Northern Ireland; studies show that 74% of these smokers want to quit
No Smoking Day is a great opportunity to make yourself and family proud and become a proud quitter.
Workplaces provide the ideal setting for breaking the smoking habit and not only benefit the individual employee’s health, but also contribute to reduced sickness absence due to smoking related illness and disease and increased business productivity.
Siobhan O Brien, Public Health Agency said: “Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness, premature death and health inequality throughout Northern Ireland. Each year around 2,300 people die prematurely from smoking related-illnesses such as coronary heart disease, stroke and many cancers. This company is leading the way in supporting staff to stop smoking during their working day”.
For further information and free support to stop smoking contact the Southern Trust’s Stop Smoking Service on 028 3741 5333 or email stop.smoking@southerntrust.hscni.net. You can also visit www.want2stop.info or www.southerntrust.hscni.net/healthyliving.
Picture: Interface Employees Stephen Wright, Patrick Haughian, Timmy Patterson, Paul Clarke and Sorcha Eastwood with Lynne Smart, Southern Trust; Siobhan O Brien, Public Health Agency and Valerie Gough, Southern Trust.
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