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School pupils create Smoke free park signs

20180717-smoke-free.jpg

Latest news in Yorkshire: July 17, 2018 02:32:04 PM

Smoke free park signs created by local school children will soon be seen in
outdoor play areas across Rotherham.

The designs have been created in an effort to protect residents from the
dangers of second-hand smoke and to help prevent youngsters from picking up
a smoking habit.

Pupils from Maltby, Canklow and West Melton schools were invited to enter
into a poster design competition as part of Rotherham Council’s Smoke free
Parks initiative to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and to
encourage people to stop smoking tobacco and e-cigarettes in and around
children’s play areas.

The eight winning poster drawings, made into signs thanks to funding from
local ward Councillors, will be installed over the school summer holidays.

Cabinet Member for Public Health, Councillor David Roche, said: “We want
children to grow up in safe, secure neighbourhoods where they will thrive
and develop.

“I welcome these poster signs to help reduce both active smoking and its
role modelling in front of children. And, by championing designs made by
children themselves, we are sending a strong message that we are serious
about smoking cessation and prevention.

“We are all aware that smoking has been banned in public buildings since
2007 but people can still smoke in outdoor spaces where children play such
as parks. Not only can this result in children inhaling other people’s
smoke, but it can also increase the chances of children copying the habit.
We want our children to breathe smoke-free air in all areas but especially
our parks where they can go to keep and get healthy.”

Wards supporting the initiative include Sitwell, Wingfield, Valley,
Holderness, Maltby, Rotherham West, Hoober, Boston Castle, and Silverwood
Ward.

The competition winners from Crags Community School, Canklow Wood Primary
School and West Melton Primary School, parents and teachers were invited to
a celebration and awards event at Rotherham Town Hall, where the Mayor of
Rotherham Cllr Buckley and Mayoress Mrs Buckley presented the children with
a framed copy of their designs to keep.

In addition to the children the Town Hall event was attended by parents,
teachers, local ward councillors and the Council teams behind the
initiative; Public Health, Neighbourhoods, Parks and Greenspaces.

1. Nine Wards: Sitwell, Wingfield, Valley, Holderness, Maltby, Rotherham
West, Hoober, Boston Castle, Silverwood have funded the ‘Smoke free Parks
initiative’.

2. School competition winners that took part in the Smoke free Initiative:

Crags Community School – Brenn and Mckenzie’s designs were chosen by
Maltby Councillors
West Melton Primary School – Sinead’s design was chosen by Hoober
Councillors.
Canklow Woods Primary Schools – Charlotte, Gloria, Olivia, Mya and Ethan
designs were chosen by Boston Castle Councillors.

3. During 2016-17 the number of quitters in Rotherham rose by 5% on the
previous year to 1,200, whilst nationally during the same period the number
of quitters dropped by 20%. The number of quitters in the borough
demonstrates that giving up the habit is achievable.

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