Inspiring stories from Somerset residents

For Jon, smoking had been part of life for around 50 years. He didn’t enjoy the act of smoking, what held him there was nicotine, the pull that shapes daily routines and moments.  A family history of heart problems and…

After smoking 20–30 cigarettes a day for 50 years, Sue thought she would never be able to quit. However, her diagnosis of COPD was a wake-up call that made her realise she needed to make a change for her health.…

I’m Christopher, and I’m 67 years old. After smoking for 50 years, earlier this year I went in for a lung scan, and although the results were clear, it was a wake-up call. I decided to join a smoking cessation…

For Cliff, the turning point came in the most life-altering way imaginable.  In his powerful video testimony, he shares. Life totally changed for me when I woke up and I didn’t have my leg anymore. That moment marked the beginning…

I grew up in a pub in the 1980s, when it was completely normal to light up indoors, whether you were having a meal, a drink, or just chatting with friends. As a kid, I remember the thick fog of…

After starting smoking as a 11 year-old, it took my dad being diagnosed with lung cancer to make me stop 42 years later as a 52-year-old. Paul grew up on a council estate in the north-east in the 1950s and…

Carl’s decision to quit smoking came from a powerful realisation, he had spent more of his life smoking than not. Concerned about the long-term impact on his health, he knew it was time to make a change. The turning point…

In a moving video filmed in Burnham-on-Sea, local residents open up about the personal reasons they chose to quit smoking and the powerful changes that followed. For some, it was about reclaiming their health and fitness. One resident shared how…

In a powerful and candid reflection, Andy shares his journey from heavy smoking to a healthier, smoke-free life. At the height of his habit, he was smoking up to 84 cigarettes a day, especially during high-stress periods like Carnival season.…