THE Victoria Park Experience (VPX) – the annual event to keep children in Warrington occupied during the summer holidays – will for the first time be a smokefree event this year.
As part of the regional Smokefree Summer campaign, smoking will be banned at the weekly events which start on Tuesday (August 4).
The aim is to protect children from exposure to smoking behaviour.
But smokefree events will also help to reduce litter and reduce the chances of young children picking up and potentially eating cigarette butts that are toxic.
Demand for smokefree events at spaces with children present, is high in Warrington, according to a new survey.
Almost 90 per cent 89% of people in Warrington questioned were supportive of smokefree outdoor events for children and families, with only one per cent opposed.
Cllr Maureen McLaughlin (pictured), the borough council’s lead member for public health and wellbeing, said: “We recognise that there is a high level of support and demand for more smokefree events and spaces in Warrington.
“We are committed to tackling the harms caused by tobacco in our communities, especially to children, and want to see more healthy, smokefree family-friendly events in our area. We have joined Smokefree Summer to help increase the number of family events we see promoting a smokefree policy and hope that more local organisers change their policies to protect children.”
Smokefree Summer has been co-ordinated by local social enterprise Tobacco Free Futures which has worked together with local authorities and event organisers across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Andrea Crossfield, chief executive of Tobacco Free Futures said: “Young people consistently overestimate the prevalence of smoking, with 60 per cent thinking it’s the ‘norm’, when in reality four out of five people don’t smoke in the North West.
“Smokefree summer has been created to increase the amount of clean and healthy environments that children and families play in, helping children to understand that smoking isn’t a normal activity.
“This isn’t about protecting children from second-hand smoke in outdoor spaces, rather its promoting healthy behaviour to children. The more events that become smokefree, the less likely children are to take up smoking – preventing them from entering into a deadly addiction that kills one in two long-term smokers.”
Anyone thinking about quitting smoking can contact LiveWire, Warrington’s stop smoking service, on 0300 003 0818 or visit http://www.livewirewarrington.co.uk/lifestyle/stop-smoking
The Warrington VPX – founded eight years ago by local Police Community Support Officers – is on every Tuesday in August.
Smoking ban at the Victoria Park Experience
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