August 15, 2015 11.57 am This story is over 103 months old

National recognition for Lincoln stop smoking scheme

Top honours: A project to encourage people to stop smoking in Lincoln has won a national award.
Young people in Lincoln paint a graffiti wall as part of a stop smoking project

A project to encourage people to stop smoking in Lincoln has won a national award.

The ‘Proud to be a Quitter’ scheme organised by City of Lincoln Council’s Neighbourhood Working Team involved pupils from Ermine Primary Academy, city council apprentices and four more people not in employment, education or training.

The group took part in a workshop about the benefits of quitting smoking and produced a piece of community artwork at the rear of Trelawney Methodist Church on Ermine West with the help of a graffiti artist.

Now the British Heart Foundation, which organises the No Smoking Day, has awarded the project first prize for Best Artistic Idea category in the No Smoking Day Organisers of the Year awards.

Noel Tobin, the city council’s Neighbourhood Manager for Lincoln North, said: “This is really exciting news for all those involved in the project and is recognition of the effort and ideas that they have put in.

“It’s important to educate people from a young age about the dangers of smoking. Quitting isn’t easy but there is a lot of support out there.

“This is a really interesting and useful project for our local youngsters to be involved with and we’re very proud of what they have achieved.”

The project was funded by the Smoke free Alliance and delivered by the Neighbourhood North Team in partnership with Tic Toc (Teens in charge of Tobacco Control).