Your Health Bolton and Bolton Council in collaboration with Bolton CVS are pleased to announce an opportunity for the VCSE sector to support smokers within their organisation to quit smoking VCSE organisations that signup will be rewarded with £100 for each validated referral made into the stop smoking service and a further £100 for a four-week validated stop smoking quit.
‘YourHealth Bolton’ spoke to Lisa Bailey and Andrew Farnworth of Transforming Lives to ask why their organisation decided to join the VCSE Stop Smoking Referral Pathway.Transforming Lives is a Bolton based organisation that offers a safe and welcoming space where individuals can connect and share issues by bringing people together for conversation, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.
“Transforming Lives joined the Smoke free Community with ‘YourHealth Bolton’ as it is passionate about the health and wellbeing of its members, community and wider town of Bolton. “At Transforming Lives, we believe in compassion, support, and understanding. With real-life experience and a commitment to change — we help people break free from addiction and mental health struggles to turn their lives around.”
“It was easy to join the scheme. We simply added our name, no signature was required as it is an agreement to work together, not a legal document. So, it did not oblige us to do anything except give people who smoke the opportunity to stop smoking if that is what they want. The only requirement was for us to participate in some training that enabled us to understand how we could best support people to stop smoking.”
“As I said it enabled us to understand how we could best support people to stop smoking. We attended a face-to-face training session with Sam, the stop smoking service coordinator, but training sessions are also run online and was offered to be delivered onsite at our premises. It was useful to be able to meet someone from the scheme and know more about the scheme and how we can be part of supporting people in Bolton to stop smoking. We wanted to attend the training and work in partnership with ‘Yourhealth Bolton’ to be able to offer the people we work with the opportunity to attend smoking cessation Support and help to reduce health inequalities and improve overall health.”
“We have had a few people signing up to stop smoking. It has been really helpful that Katie from the stop smoking service has come to our football activities and got to know us and the people we are supporting. She has been able to offer personal support and answer any questions people may have had. She has also been able to take referrals from us directly and give advice about nicotine products and vaping. So yes, we have had a few people signing up through the VSCE scheme and hopefully they will be able to stop smoking for good.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance and a renewed sense of hope. That’s why we use the money we have received through referring people who want the opportunity to stop smoking to help keep us running and delivering support 6 days per week. It is much needed as funding at present has been challenging. This money will be a lifeline to so many individuals who are in recovery from drugs, alcohol, mental health and isolation.”