THE Worcestershire Partnership's Health Improvement Fund is helping a Bromsgrove group to set up a stop smoking scheme to help young people in the town's high schools to stop smoking.

A grant of £3,340 has been given to Bromsgrove Local Strategic Partnership, to help deliver the pilot 'Fresh Start' scheme in partnership with QUIT and the TRUNK’s Stop Smoking Service in Charford.

The pilot will offer a package of support including smoking awareness workshops, targeted support from youth workers and smoking cessation sessions.

The scheme will also include a peer mentoring programme which will see young people trained to help others quit and reward the mentors for each person they can refer to smoking cessation.

Emma Barton, health improvement co-ordinator for Bromsgrove, said: “This is a new and exciting approach to smoking cessation which we have designed specifically for young people to help them quit smoking.

“Those who get help through stop smoking services are shown to be four times more likely to be successful at stopping smoking”

Frances Howie, assistant director of public health, said “Stopping smoking is the best thing any smoker can do to improve their health and that of their families and friends who may inhale their smoke.

“We know that most adult smokers start smoking when they are young. In fact, 40 per cent of smokers say they were smoking regularly before they were 16 years old.

“It is important to use every possible means to get young smokers to give up and I am delighted that the schools in Bromsgrove are taking up this challenge.”

For more information about the scheme, call Emma on 01527 881311.