Chorley council workers ditch the fags

8:20am Sunday 24th August 2008

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Three Chorley council workers are ditching cigarettes — after spending more than a staggering £185,000 on fags in their lifetimes.

Street cleaners Alan Partridge, 51, a smoker of 36 years and Paul Barnes, 42, who has smoked since he was 12, have quit with the help of the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

Groundsman Paul Roberts, 48, who has smoked for 35 years, is well on the way to giving up the habit after cutting down from 20 to ten cigarettes a day.

Between them, the trio have had a 20-a-day habit for more than a century, getting through about 737,300 cigarettes.

With a packet of 20 costing around £5, that’s £185,325 up in smoke at today’s prices.

Alan and Paul Barnes quit with the help of Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust stop smoking adviser Joanne Neville.

Joanne visits the council’s street cleaning and grounds maintenance depot at Bengal Street, every Tuesday.

Paul Roberts, who is being helped and encouraged to give up his last 10 cigarettes a day by his colleagues, said: “The ban on smoking in our vehicles and public places has given me the incentive to quit.”

Both Alan and Paul Barnes gave up with the aid of Champix, which is prescribed by a GP following an initial referral from Joanne. Paul Roberts is about to begin a course of Champix and all will continue to receive Joanne’s weekly support.

Champix (Varenicline) is a non-nicotine drug developed specifically to help smokers give up.

It mimics the effect of nicotine in the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms.

Joanne said: “All at Chorley Council’s Bengal Street Depot have been a pleasure to work with. Alan and the two Pauls are very motivated and enthusiastic; they have encouraged and supported one another.

“Nicotine replacement therapies like patches or gum can double the chances of stopping smoking. The support of friends and colleagues can make a real difference.”

Anyone wanting to quit smoking can should contact their GP or Smoke Free Central Lancashire in Preston on 0800 328 6297 or, for people in Leyland, Chorley and Penwortham, on 01772 644474.