A healthy New Year’s resolution for college students

Hayley Greenwood from TASK with successful quitters Lucienne Ashton and Gemma Griffith

During November and December, Hopwood Hall College piloted stop smoking sessions in a bid to help its staff and students to get healthy.

The free sessions were provided by a stop smoking service called TASK which is run by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Primary Care Trust. TASK’s friendly advisors provided information, advice and support to help the College’s staff and students to quit smoking.

During the two month trial, four students and one staff member successfully quit smoking for four weeks or more, and many more began the process of stopping smoking. The successful quitters include students Lucienne Ashton and Gemma Griffith, who are both studying Health and Social Care at the College.

The College’s Healthy College Coordinator, Rebecca Murray is thrilled with the results of the stop smoking trial and due its success, has arranged for more sessions to take place in 2011.

In 2011, the free drop-in clinics will be held in the Rochdale Campus Bistro from 12pm – 2pm every Thursday from 6 January to 17 February.

As an added incentive, the College is offering the first 15 learners who sign up to say they want to stop smoking and have successfully quit at 4 weeks, a gift certificate.