Stoptober is back and Derby City Council is encouraging residents who smoke to take advantage of its free healthy lifestyle service, Livewell, to significantly increase their chances of quitting during this year’s campaign.

Smoking remains the biggest cause of preventable illness and death, and quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health. Evidence shows that if you stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to quit for good. While many people try to quit using willpower alone, using a specialist service like Livewell can make you around three times more likely to succeed.

Stoptober is a national initiative that runs throughout October, inviting people who smoke across England to join the millions who have already quit with the support of the campaign. Despite progress, over five million adults in England still smoke, with the East Midlands showing a prevalence rate of 10.4% and Derby at 10.8%.

Last year, 787 people in Derby quit smoking with Livewell’s support, saving an average of £59 per week each – a combined total of £2.23 million over the year.
One of those success stories is Stuart Audsley, a 59 year old HGV driver from Derby, who smoked for 47 years and thought he had “given up on giving up”. When his breathing worsened and even short walks became difficult, he decided to seek help from Livewell.

Eight months on, he is smokefree, has saved around £1,500, and is training for a 230 mile hiking challenge in Scotland.

Stuart knows many people in jobs like his – HGV drivers, warehouse staff, trades and other routine/manual roles – feel that smoking “goes with the territory” or helps them cope with long, demanding shifts.

He said:

If you work shifts or drive for a living, it’s easy to think you can’t quit because of the routine, boredom or stress. But getting the right support made all the difference for me.

My advice to anyone thinking about quitting is give it a try and get support from Livewell or your local service, even if you’ve relapsed before. If I can do it, you can too – and Stoptober is the ideal opportunity.

Councillor Alison Martin, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Care, commented:

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and Stoptober is a great time to make that change. It is much easier to stop smoking when you have the right people behind you and in Derby, our local Livewell service offers free expert support to help residents to quit smoking for good and feel the benefits sooner.

Dr Gillian Lowrey, Respiratory Physician at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, said:

In my role, I see first-hand the damage tobacco does to people’s lungs, hearts and lives. Many of my patients tell me they wish they had stopped sooner. The important message is that it is never too late to quit.

Even if you already have a smoking-related condition, stopping can ease your symptoms, help treatments work better and improve both your quality of life and your chances of living longer.

You do not have to do it alone – local services like Livewell offer free, proven treatments and expert support, which give you a much better chance of quitting for good.

The official Stoptober challenge begins on Thursday 1 October, but people can choose a quit date at any point during the month as part of the campaign.

However, you don’t need to wait for Stoptober to get help. Livewell offers up to 12 months of free support and stop smoking treatments, including nicotine products and vapes, to Derby residents all year round.

To sign up and book a telephone appointment to get started, visit the Livewell stop smoking page.