SALFORD health services kickstarted their Stoptober efforts this October, where people all over the UK take up the challenge of quitting smoking and drinking alongside the Sober for October campaign.

In the years Stoptober has been running, over one million people have quit smoking in the month of October.

Go Sober for October, a branch of the MacMillan charity, encourages a similar endeavor- to quit drinking in the tenth month of the year.

Both movements aim to help those struggling with smoking and alcohol addictions to quit by providing the support and comradery needed to quit, even if it’s just for 28 days.

Billboards share the message far and wide.
Billboards share the message far and wide.

Christopher Green is a Stop Smoking Advisor for the Salford Health Improvement Service.

He said: “We’re organizing a number of events where there’s a lot of footfall, in places like supermarkets and shopping centers.

We’ll set up some stalls with all the Stoptober national resources, and we’ll try and engage members of the public to sign up nationally.”

Summarising Stoptober, Green said: “People have the choice of joining the Stoptober campaign by just signing up online, or they have the choice of if they want the support, they can drop in at the available sessions throughout October.”

Outside of the Stoptober month, the services are still available throughout the year.

“Stoptober is business as usual for us, but with that extra emphasis on bringing new people in, and trying to do outreach work and hit those areas where there’s high foot traffic,” said Green.

Outside of November, the Salford Stop Smoking Team work hard to help whoever they can to quit.

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He said: “We have a number of stop smoking advisers working all year round, to encourage people to stop smoking.

“We have a number of clinics across Salford where people can access those any time of the year.”

Christopher Green – Stop Smoking Advisor

Green disclosed that Salford is not only a popular area for people wishing to quit smoking,

He said: “we have teams dotted in all the different neighbourhoods in Salford and have a high number of sessions in Salford.”

Over the years, the stop smoking service has expanded to accommodate more people being interested.

The service was always popular, but as numbers grew Green touched on how the service expanded to encourage yet more people.

He said: “Stop smoking sessions have been around for about 15 to 16 years so we’re getting more creative with the sessions.

“We’ve now trained up pharmacists and other health care professionals to deliver the stop smoking service.” 

Go Sober for October is also very popular across the country.

Andy Thompson is a 31 year old who works for SDL Auctions North West, who is trying to go sober this month.

He expressed how meetings with his clients would involve a formal drink or two, and he wants to cut down on this.

“With my job I’ve got no real routine.

“I’m often meeting clients, so it’s hard to say I’m going to try and cut down when every other day you’re going out to lunch with somebody or whatever it might be,” he said.

Thompson expressed that Go Sober for October was a real help to him, as it was much easier than attempting to cut down alone.

“Because I don’t have any particular reason behind doing it, when you’re there in those situations you either betray yourself and have a drink, or you get convinced by somebody else, and you’ve got much more chance of getting your arm twisted.

“There’s something about the whole nation doing it together, and it being recognized that makes it a lot easier, because you’ve got that subconscious support.” 

Andy Thompson – Stoptober participant

He said telling people you’re part of a large group doing the same thing not only makes them more understanding of your ambition, but also makes it easier for one to resist temptation.

The 31 year old said that things are going well for him so far: “I’ve got my first weekend out of the way, that’s the hardest part.”

But his motivation doesn’t just stop at cutting down drinking – he’s also using the month to become fitter, saying: “I also thought whilst I’m doing this, whilst I’m not drinking, I’ll use it as an opportunity to get fitter.”

We might be ten days in to the month but it’s not too late to make a change! Visit the Stoptober or Go Sober for October websites now to find out more.

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