Mail Centre in drive to help its smoking posties quit the weed

Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union had been working together to raise workplace awareness of the day and organised a poster competition for the children of employees.

With two age categories 4-10 years and 11-18 years, children were asked to design a poster with the theme ‘Break free - we can help’.

The smokers acknowledged that No Smoking Day offered the ideal opportunity for them to kick the habit and used their children’s posters as a message of support and empowerment.

Pamela Stevenson, Royal Mail Regional HR Director and Sean Doherty, Area Health & Safety Representative for the Communication Workers Union had the onerous task of judging the entries.

The two winners in their respective age categories were Kelly Scannell, age 8, and Emma Christie age 16.

Pamela Stevenson, said: “I applaud the efforts of the children and ask that their parents and our colleagues who see these posters take on board the message the children are conveying that “smoking kills”.

Sean Doherty, commenting on the very high standard of entries, said: “It is evident that a lot of time, effort and imagination went into the development of these posters. We had a very difficult job in picking the winners and I congratulate all of them.

“I would also like to thank everyone involved with the organisation of this event and for the events planned for No Smoking Day itself.”

Presenting the prizes to the winners at a special reception held in the Northern Ireland Mail Centre was popular BBC Radio Ulster presenter, Joe Lindsay.

Also attending the event was Royal Mail Regional Operations Director, Michael Kennedy who said: “Smoking is the principle avoidable cause of premature deaths in the UK, and second hand smoke increases the risk to non-smokers of lung disease.

“The clear message from our young artists is to ‘break the habit’ ”.

Smoking cessation advisors from Ulster Cancer Foundation were on site on No Smoking Day to provide support and advice for employees who decided they want to ‘break free’ and to offer advice to those who wanted to pass the message on to family members.

To give an extra helping hand and encourage colleagues, postwoman, Liz Mason baked lots of shortbread hands, encouraging everyone to have a ‘short break’ instead of a ‘smoke break’.

The poster competition was part of a joint workplace health initiative between Royal Mail, Communication Workers Union and employees based at the Northern Ireland Mail Centre, and built upon the success of a workplace smoking cessation clinic delivered by Ulster Cancer Foundation late last year.

The next event is a tobacco awareness quiz from which all funds raised will go to support the Ulster Cancer Foundation.