Weston-super-Mare couple's savings go up in Smoke !

A couple from Weston-super-Mare set light to a year's worth of savings to mark No Smoking Day. Jerry Baker (48) and Helen Wyatt (52) were both heavy smokers

until they decided to quit with the help of the local stop smoking service

provided by NHS North Somerset.

Since they gave up a year ago

they have noticed both huge health benefits and massive financial savings. Helen

said: "We both smoked about 20 roll-ups as well as

some ready-made every day before we gave up, so that

was over £30 a week. Since quitting, we've saved over £1,600. We worked out that

we have spent around £150,000 on cigarettes during our lives - we could have

bought a house for that.

"When we smoked, we had no

idea how much it was really costing us. It had a huge impact on our health, our

family's health and our pockets. Since we gave up we both feel so much healthier

and happier. We can do more physically than ever before, and we've been able to

afford to go away on our first holiday in years."

Jerry added: "I won't pretend

it was easy for either of us to quit, but it was certainly loads easier with the

support of the stop smoking team. If anyone is thinking about taking the next

step and giving up, I would definitely recommend them over trying to do it

alone. We are really glad to have given up as we now know the harmful effects

that our smoking had on the children in the house."

Fiona Miles, NHS North

Somerset Health Improvement Development Manager, said: "300 people die

unnecessarily in North Somerset from smoking related illnesses. But this needn't

be the case. We are here to help anyone who wants to

quit."

As well as the health and

finance benefits of stopping smoking, giving up is also supported by Avon Fire

& Rescue Service. Jon Brown, the station manager for Weston-super-Mare said:

"We are happy to be supporting No Smoking Day as giving up greatly reduces the

risk of fires in the home. Smoking is the single biggest cause of fire deaths in

the UK. If you do smoke it's important you take extra care when putting out your

cigarette."

The theme for this year's No

Smoking Day is 'swap fags for swag'. By visiting www.wequit.co.uk smokers can enter the average number

of cigarettes they smoke a day to find out how much money they could save by

quitting over the course of a week, a month and a year.

Anyone who is ready to give

up can get all the support they need from North Somerset's support to quit

service. The number to ring is 01275 546 744 or text

07800 001 316. People can also email sts@nsomerset-pct.nhs.uk or talk to a

trained stop smoking adviser available in most GP surgeries and pharmacies

across North Somerset.

There's more information at

www.facebook.com/smokefreens including blogs from local people who

have given up successfully using the service.