Stop smoking service set to help Wiganers quit for good

Councillor Ready and the Be Well Stop Smoking Service team in Marsh Green

A new-look stop smoking team will help Wigan Borough residents quit during ‘Stoptober’ and beyond.

The Be Well Stop Smoking Service was officially launched this month with the aim of supporting more local people to give up smoking for good.

As well as providing specialist guidance and a range of options for those looking to quit, expert advisors will be proactively engaging with residents out in the community.

The team have marked the beginning of Stoptober – the annual campaign to encourage people to stop smoking – with events in Marsh Green, Beech Hill and Golborne, and more pop-ups are planned across the borough in the weeks ahead.

Councillor Chris Ready, Wigan Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “If you’re a smoker, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health and the health of those around you; significantly reducing your risk of heart attacks, cancer and other long-term conditions.

“Quitting can be difficult, but evidence shows you increase your chances of success with the right support – which is where our Be Well Stop Smoking Service comes in; offering people the help they need to give up smoking for good.

“As well as providing support for those who contact us and individuals who have been referred by their GP, our team will be out and about across our neighbourhoods, targeting areas where smoking rates are higher, as part of our commitment to tackling health inequalities in our communities and empowering people to lead healthier, happier lives.”

The Be Well Stop Smoking Service marks an expansion of Wigan Council’s previous stop smoking offer and is part of a wider Wigan Borough plan to reduce tobacco use and work towards a smoke-free generation, backed by additional central government funding.

Despite falling by 20,000 since 2011, the number of adult smokers in the borough remains higher than regional and national averages – at around 40,000 adult smokers, or 15 per cent of the population.

Councillor Keith Cunliffe, deputy leader of Wigan Council and portfolio holder for adult social care and health, said: “We’ve made significant strides over the past decade, but smoking remains one of our major public health challenges and one of the biggest causes of preventable illness and death in the borough.

“The launch of our Be Well Stop Smoking Service is a welcome milestone, supporting the wider ambitions of our Smoke Free Wigan Partnership with targeted activity, and increasing the range of support options available to residents who are looking to quit.”

The next stop on the team’s Stoptober tour is Leigh on Tuesday 15 October, with the mobile unit due to appear outside Spinning Jenny Shopping Centre from 8.30am-12.15pm and Siddow Common from 1.30pm-4.30pm.

Residents can speak to the team for advice, pick-up stress balls and other goodies, and even get a free carbon monoxide reading to see how smoking is affecting their lungs.

The Be Well Stop Smoking Service will also be headed to Tyldesley and Atherton on 22 October, and Platt Bridge and Worsley Mesnes on 31 October. Follow Be Well on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates.

Visit Be Well Stop Smoking Service for more information.