Welcome
Welcome to our July SmokeFree Hull Newsletter, packed with lots of useful tips on coping with cravings throughout the summer period, success stories, and a summer recipe to support you on your smoke free journey during the sunny months.
Service Update
Service Manager Tracey
I hope that you are all enjoying the glorious weather and that you have some nice plans to look forward to over summer.
The last 6 months have been busy at SmokeFree Hull. The number of residents of Hull wanting support to stop smoking is constantly increasing (900 between January and March 2023), and to support the additional demand within the city, our team continues to grow in numbers too.
However, Hull still has one of the highest smoking prevalence’s within the country, so over the last few months we have been focusing on expanding our face-to-face clinics across Hull. Bringing the clinics to you, in your community, will allow for easier and more convenient access to one of our Stop Smoking Advisors. Currently we offer 18 clinics, from 11 different venues. However, we are also still offering telephone support, which continues to be a popular way of engaging with the service.
I know taking that first step and asking for support can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. On our website you will find information on what your first appointment will look like… you can also meet the team!
If you would like to join the thousands of people in Hull that receive support to stop smoking, why not contact us today!
A smoke free summer
The summer months are always more tempting when it comes to smoking, with lots of social activities and engagements, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Our advisors have all the tips you need to keep on track and stay smoke free this summer!
Have a plan
- Avoid your smoking friends for the first few days or weeks of quitting.
- Make sure you have plenty of your Nicotine Replacement Therapy products or E liquids on hand to use if the temptation strikes and ensure your e-cigarette/vape is fully charged.
- Take oral stop smoking products out with you to help with cravings and to give you something else to reach for with your hands.
- Ask friends and family for support and let them know that you’re trying to quit and not to offer you a cigarette.
- Remember the ‘Not one puff’ statement.
- Consider what you will say if you’re offered a cigarette, so you don’t feel overwhelmed - try to use bold positive statements such as ‘No thank you I don’t smoke’, to avoid confusion.
- Think of what your motivation was to quit and remind yourself of this if you feel tempted.
Alcohol
- When you first quit, try and avoid alcohol until you’re comfortable with your quit to limit slip-ups.
- Try a mocktail instead of a cocktail, or low or no alcoholic drinks, so that you can remain compos mentis, so that you’re aware of why you have decided to quit.
- If you do have a drink, try and have a glass of water in between.
Make new routines
- Make new summer routines and take a break from your old winter routines of spending time indoors by finding a new hobby.
- Summer offers the chance to exercise more and to burn off excess calories which makes you feel good.
- Reward yourself to some new summer clothes with all the money you have saved and think about what else you can buy as the summer goes on and you continue to be smoke free to keep you motivated.
Rethink your relationship with smoking
- For many smokers, socialising is a huge trigger, but by rethinking your relationship with smoking, you can cope better in those social situations.
- Is this going to be a one-off event such as a birthday night out a stag/hen party etc is it worth undoing all the hard work for the sake of one night?
- View smoking as a toxic relationship with a friend, one that’s been there through the best of times, the worst of times and everything in between, but who hasn’t really got your best interests at heart. A friend who has robbed you of finances, time away from your loved ones and also who is not good for you or your health.
We understand that giving up smoking is hard, and it may take a few attempts, but by planning ahead you can still enjoy your life and summer activities whilst staying smokefree.
So just because the BBQ is smoking it doesn’t mean you have too!
Don’t forget if you do have a blip, it’s always better to just try again. Here you can find more information on having a slip up when smoking.
Alcohol awareness week
Alcohol Awareness Week takes place from 3rd -9th July 2023 and is a chance to get thinking about drinking.
For many people smoking and drinking are closely linked as part of their socialising and relaxation, but alcohol can make it harder to resist the temptation of a cigarette when trying to quit, as well as harming physical and mental health.
With so much information available about smoking and drinking it’s becoming harder to separate the facts from the scare-stories, so SmokeFree Hull and Renew have teamed up to offer a new, free Alcohol and Smoking Awareness workshop.
The 2-hour workshop is particularly suitable for workplaces and community groups based in Hull who want to learn more about the health risks of alcohol and tobacco in a thought-provoking and interactive way.
For more information or to book a workshop please contact [email protected]
Alcohol Awareness Week is co-ordinated by Alcohol Change UK – visit their website to find out more about their work.
Success story - Jan’s smoke free story
I’ve been smoking pretty much my whole life, and started back when I was 19 years old, as I thought it was cool. I’ve tried to quit numerous times, especially when I was pregnant, but it never really stuck. When I’ve stopped in the past, I’ve always started up again, just out of habit of wanting a cigarette. 40 years ago, when I was first smoking, it didn’t have the same stigma to it as it does now, so I didn’t really commit to quitting before.
I realised that I needed to quit this time, due to my health. I was suffering with bad circulation 2 years ago, and I was diagnosed with Reynard’s. I knew something wasn’t quite right with my circulation, as I got chilblain in my feet which was agony, like I’d damaged the nerves. This was the turning point for me when I thought I might lose my feet. The long-term use of beta blockers for my anxiety had done some of the damage, but smoking had done the rest, so when the doctor mentioned stopping smoking with SmokeFree Hull I gave them a call.
Initially when I contacted the service, I wasn’t that hopeful in stopping, I didn’t really want to quit deep down, and not feeling fully committed, I thought why bother. I thought I would be judged for smoking and get a lecture, but this couldn’t have been farther from the truth.
The support was amazing from the service, and my stop smoking advisor was so laid back, and easy to talk to.
Each week we’d talk more and more, not just about my smoking habits, but about life in general. She remembered things we’d talked about before, which made me feel listened to and not just another call on her list. After 12 weeks of speaking with her, she really did feel like a friend on the other end of the phone, supporting me through it.
I used patches and lozenges to stop smoking, which were absolutely fine. Knowing that I had this nicotine replacement therapy, kept me going. Walking to the chemist every week to pick it up also helped with the process, coming back with it in my pocket and putting it in the cupboard, all helped reassure me. My morning cigarette was the hardest to get over, but the service advised me to take a lozenge as soon as I woke up, which was like hitting the craving before it started.
I also used jigsaws to keep my hands busy. I’d never used them before, so I didn’t associate doing them with having a cigarette, so this felt new. Whereas the things that I liked to do before, like sewing, I would always have a cigarette in my hand at the same time, so I couldn’t disassociate that with it.
Stopping smoking has meant that I don’t cough anymore which has been the best feeling. I no longer wheeze in my chest, as my lungs are recovering. I’ve also noticed that my skin is a lot better, at 62 years old, my skin is now clearer than it’s been in years.
I would definitely recommend the service, as I don’t think I could have done it without their support. Knowing there was someone checking in on me was a huge help, it was my own feelings of shame or guilt towards smoking, and not wanting to let my advisor down that kept me going each week.
The service doesn’t lecture you; they don’t judge you, they just provide practical advice, that comes once a week to motivate you. It’s also nice having someone outside your family and friends to talk to, someone objective who doesn’t know you. I was afraid to tell my own children I was stopping until the 3rd week, as I didn’t want to disappoint them, or let myself down, but they’re really proud of me now too.
The bottom line is that if I can do it, anyone can. I was a heavy smoker all my life, an addictive smoker, always with a roll-up in my hand, and after 40 years I’ve finally quit. I’m proud of myself and my achievement after all these years.
I’ve told a lot of people how much SmokeFree Hull have helped me. The service is so accessible and free, which made it easier to quit. If a service like this had been around when I was first pregnant at 25 years old, I think I would have stopped then. The combination of support and stop smoking products really work well together.
I couldn’t have done it without SmokeFree Hull, thank you.
Tuscan Chicken by our Smokefree Administrator Sheryl
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 2 tbsp Plain Flour
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 large red pepper deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- 1 oz chopped tomatoes
- ¼ pint of white wine
- ¼ pint of chicken stock
- ¼ pint of pouring double cream (Healthier alternative use 180g reduced-fat cream cheese)
- 5½ oz baby spinach
- 2 oz grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Place flour and paprika, with salt and pepper in a bowl, add chicken and mix until the chicken is fully coated.
- Heat oil in a deep-frying pan, add chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned, and then set aside.
- Add onion and pepper to the unwashed pan and fry for 4 – 5 minutes over a medium heat, then add garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
- Stir in tomato puree, tomatoes, wine and stock, bring to the boil then return the chicken to the pan.
- Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.
- Add cream and spinach and stir until wilted.
- Remove from the heat, and sprinkle in the Parmesan and serve piping hot.
Pride
It’s Hull Pride on Saturday 29th July, and SmokeFree Hull will be attending with a stall to support all those looking to stop smoking. We’ll have some fun games and be taking CO monitoring readings too!
There’s also lots of other charities and organisations attending, as well as the usual parade through the city, you can find out more on the Pride in Hull website.
Come and say hello!
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you!
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