Welcome!
Welcome to our winter SmokeFree Hull Newsletter, packed with lots of useful tips, service updates, activities to keep your hands busy, as well as a healthy recipe to support you on your smokefree journey during Christmas, and the cold winter months.
Happy 5th birthday to SmokeFree Hull!
Our service turned 5 this year, woohoo!
We have changed a fair bit since we started our contract, with service model changes, new suppliers and stakeholders, additional staff and resources – but what has never changed is our passion for helping you quit!
During this time, we have managed to help 12,558 people stop smoking in Hull, with our combined approach of stop smoking products and motivational support from our specialist advisors.
We are really proud of our service, and each and every one of our team are dedicated to helping you and the local community live happier and healthier lives by stopping smoking.
The celebrations continue as we have also received an 18-month extension to our contract with Hull City Council, lasting until March 2026, so we can help even more people quit smoking for good.
It’s never too late to quit, join the thousands who have already started their smokefree journey, and get in touch this Winter!
For free advice and support contact 01482 977617 or visit our website.
Bouncing back after a smoking setback
Everyone's quitting journey has its ups and downs. If you've recently smoked while trying to quit, remember this isn't failure – it's just part of the process. Many successful quitters need multiple attempts before saying goodbye to cigarettes for good. Your commitment to trying is what truly counts.
The festive season can be particularly challenging for those trying to stay smokefree. If you've had a slip-up over Christmas, remember that holiday stress, social gatherings, and changes in routine can test even the strongest resolve. Rather than viewing it as a failure, use this experience to strengthen your quit strategy by:
- Identifying specific holiday triggers i.e. stress/ family situations
- Plan smokefree alternatives like NRT, or a vape, for upcoming celebrations
- Remember that the New Year offers a fresh opportunity to recommit to your health goals.
Understanding your triggers
Cravings often stem from specific situations in our daily lives. Environmental triggers might include your favourite pub or spending time with friends who smoke. Emotional triggers like stress, frustration, or even celebrations can spark cravings. Daily routines such as morning coffee or work breaks, and seasonal challenges like holiday gatherings can also test your resolve.
What to do next
Remember, one cigarette doesn't erase your progress. Instead of self-criticism, use this moment as a learning opportunity. Think about what situation led to smoking and how you were feeling at the time. Consider what you could do differently next time. For instance, if stress triggered you to smoke, you might try deep breathing, a brisk walk, or calling a supportive friend next time those feelings arise.
Tips to help you stay smokefree
1. Get support
Ask for help when you need it from family and friends. You could also join a stop smoking support group, and chat with people who understand what you're going through. Remember to plan for extra help during busy times during the Christmas period.
2. Change your surroundings
Try to avoid places where you used to smoke. Find new spots to hang out where smoking isn't allowed. Start new habits that don't involve cigarettes, like going for a walk after meals instead of having a smoke.
3. Deal with cravings
Keep your stop smoking products with you at all times and use them when you need to. When you really want a cigarette, tell yourself to wait two hours before deciding, this gives the urge time to pass.
4. Stay busy
Find new things to do with your hands and time. Take up a hobby, sort out those jobs you've been putting off, or find fun smokefree activities to do with friends and family at Christmas.
5. Think positively
Focus on what you're gaining, not what you're giving up. Notice how much better you feel, how much money you're saving, and be proud of every day without cigarettes. If you slip up, learn from it and try again.
Remember, each attempt brings you closer to your smokefree goal. You're learning, growing, and getting stronger with every step forward. If the holiday season has brought challenges, use this experience to strengthen your commitment to staying smokefree. Every time you try to quit, you're building resilience and wisdom that increases your chances of lasting success.
Julie’s story
I decided that at the end of November I would give up smoking, and so I contacted SmokeFree Hull in December, as I wanted to put the feelers out initially. It’s a big decision, so first I set myself a pre-set limit, as to what I was going to do, which helped get it into my head what I wanted to achieve, and then set an actual quit date later on.
I think it’s important to really prepare yourself for big changes in your life, rather than just suddenly stopping smoking, as it can make you feel ill, before it makes you feel better. It can take up to a year before you feel better, but I’ve already felt so much healthier in just 6 months.
I stopped previously when my daughter was in her 30s, as I was her kidney donor, and I stopped smoking for 2 years while I donated my kidney to her. However as soon as I’d had the operation, I went straight back to smoking. I felt like it was my reward for going through all that, which I know is silly to say now.
My motivation to quit was for my health and finances. The cost was getting ridiculous, at £14 a package, and my health was getting bad as well. I’m 63 years old, and I want to live a long and happy life, and I thought this isn’t going to happen if I carry on smoking.
When I started with the service, I opted to use patches as my stop smoking treatment, and I had no problem using these. I had these for about 6 weeks, and then I went away to visit my daughter, and I forgot to take them with me, I then just forgot all about them altogether which was amazing.
It’s all about breaking your routine. I wanted to break the habit of the hand to mouth action, so I didn’t want to use a vape either. I had a pen in my hand for a little while, but it’s more about breaking that habitual behaviour.
Stopping smoking has saved me £1,300 and so we’ve booked an extra holiday this year to Cyprus. I don’t cough as much as I used to, and my breathing is so much better, I suffer from high blood pressure, but this has reduced now too.
I had a flare up of my arthritis and I was in hospital a while back, which was a really stressful situation and made me want a cigarette as a coping mechanism. But I’m glad to say that I didn’t have one, I’ve gone so long without one now, that I didn’t want to break the chain.
My stop smoking advisor Emily was lovely, and I felt really cared for, and that she had my best interest at heart. She was really knowledgeable about all the products that I could try, and she would ring me every week to check in. I realised I looked forward to speaking with her every week, I wanted someone to talk to, outside of my family. She was someone that encouraged me and said how proud she was of my achievement. If I ever got worried about things, she was always there for me too.
If I were to pass on any advice to others, I would say to plan your day ahead, and plan stopping. Previously I would say, ‘I’ll give up tomorrow’, and that wouldn’t work. You need to set a goal. Plan 1 week, then 2 weeks etc, whatever it is, and plan when it’s going to happen. For me it was New Year’s Eve, I had 15 cigarettes left, so we finished those, then scrunched up the package and threw it away. And that was the last cigarette that I’ve ever had.
I’m really grateful to Emily and the service for their support. I feel really proud of myself, and I don’t think about having a cigarette at all, it’s just not part of my routine anymore.
Recipes
Staying healthy and smokefree means more than just stopping smoking. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel at your best too.
Stop Smoking Advisor Mhairi shares her favourite hearty soup to keep your hands busy, and your belly full!
Winter Vegetable and Lentil Soup
It’s a very easy and tasty recipe to enjoy during the festive period, to keep you warm over the winter months, and it’s full of healthy ingredients too!
Serves 2.
- 85g dried red lentils
- 2 carrots diced
- 3 sticks celery sliced
- 2 small leeks diced
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 3 large cloves of garlic
- 1 vegetable stock cubes (I use 2 for more flavour)
- Ground coriander
Put all the ingredients into a large pot and pour over 1 and ½ litres of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 30 mins or until the vegetables and lentils are tender. Season to taste. You can serve as it is or blend down for a thicker texture.
That ‘hand to mouth’ action
In addition to the physiological effects of nicotine withdrawal, smoking is also a deeply ingrained habitual behaviour. A big part of the smoking routine is the repeated hand-to-mouth motion of lifting a cigarette. When trying to quit, this habitual aspect can be just as challenging to overcome as the nicotine cravings.
To help keep your hands, mind, and mouth occupied during the Christmas holiday season, here are some suggested diversionary activities:
- Reading a new book - This keeps your hands and mind engaged in an activity that doesn't involve smoking. Choose a book you've been wanting to read.
- Doing a jigsaw puzzle - The repetitive motions of fitting puzzle pieces together can help satisfy the need to keep your hands busy.
- Playing board/card games with friends and family - Social games are a great way to stay engaged and distracted. The interaction and competition can take your mind off cravings.
- Playing games on your phone - Mobile games provide a quick, handy distraction when a craving hits. Look for brain teasers or casual games to keep your mind active.
- Taking deep breaths - Breathing exercises that engage the throat can mimic the sensation of smoking without the nicotine.
- Going for walks or dancing - Physical activity gets you up and moving, releasing endorphins that can curb cravings.
- Keeping your mouth busy - Chewing gum, sucking on hard candies or ice pops, or snacking on crunchy foods like carrots or nuts can satisfy the oral fixation of smoking.
The key is to have a variety of go-to activities ready, so you can quickly swap in a healthy distraction when a craving strikes over the holidays. Experiment to find which work best for you. With some planning, you can get through this challenging time and emerge closer to becoming smokefree
The Gift of experience
It’s traditional in many cultures to give gifts at Christmas, but this year at SmokeFree Hull we’re asking you to give a gift with a difference…
Your gift would be to share your experience of becoming smokefree with SmokeFree Hull and spread the word about how stopping smoking has helped change your life!
You might be thinking that your story isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but that’s exactly what we want – everyday success stories of Hull ex-smokers to inspire others to quit too.
We’re asked regularly by smokers what it’s REALLY like to use our service, and we’d love them to be able to hear this directly from you, our successful SmokeFree clients.
If you’re interested and want to learn more, contact our Marketing Lead Ali Truman: [email protected] for more information.
It might be the most important gift you could give to others this Christmas!
Useful links
We understand the festive period can be hard for some people. For information, wellbeing advice and support, see the following links.
Get in touch
We’d love to hear from you!
The service is continuously adapting and developing, to make sure we’re providing the best service possible.
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