Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Help available to quit smoking
NHS Lanarkshire is reminding residents of the help available to quit cigarettes and tobacco as it marked national No Smoking Day.
The health board is encouraging local people to seek support and advice from its free Quit Your Way stop-smoking service, as part of joint campaign with ASH Scotland.
Shirley Mitchell, who is NHS Lanarkshire’s tobacco control programme manager, said:“this is often a time when people who smoke decide to make a dedicated decision to give up.
“Trying to quit smoking at this time may feel overwhelming, but help and support tailored to each person’s needs is available to help them to stop smoking through Quit Your Way Lanarkshire.
“We appreciate that circumstances may mean it’s been even harder to quit this year, and we wanted to celebrate those who have stopped smoking during lockdown.”
Lanarkshire resident Marion Young stopped smoking after 55 years thanks to help from the service, giving up nearly a year ago, and is full of praise for the continuing support she has received from Quit Your Way.
She said:“covid and the horror
of it initially set me thinking it was time to quit smoking. I felt bad that my smoking addiction could add to the burden of the already overworked, overburdened NHS.
“I chose my greatgranddaughter Oswyn’s birthday as the day I would stop smoking, since I want to be around to see and enjoy her and her wee brother Ezra for a long time to come.
“I called the Quit Your Way helpline for advice, and I’m very glad I made that phone call.
“I feel very lucky and thankful to have this brilliant support structure [of ] patches delivered direct to me, weekly follow-ups from NHS Lanarkshire staff and the security of knowing I have a number to call anytime I might struggle.
“I’m now using the savings to buy things for my garden – if I can do it after 55 years of smoking, it’s not too late for anyone else.”
Health officials say that “smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of ill-health and premature death in Scotland”, and can lead to more serious symptoms in the event of contracting coronavirus – as well as causing or exacerbating breathing problems including asthma and COPD, and can also harm the immune system and heart.
ASH Scotland chief executive Sheila Duffy said:“we know that quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your physical health, but it also improves your mental wellbeing.
“If you’ve been thinking about quitting, No Smoking Day might be the perfect reason – with the help of smoking cessation services, many people have stopped since the start of the pandemic and you can too.”
The free Quit Your Way service can be contacted on 0800 84 84 84 during office hours and accessed online at Quityourway.scot, while people wishing to stop smoking can also receive free support from local community pharmacies.
A series of Coatbridge roads will be affected by roadworks over the course of the next few weeks.
Wellington Place is shut until Friday to allow for carriageway repairs.
Alternative routes in place are Craigend Drive, Crammond Avenue and Viewfield Road and the closure is from Renfrew Street to Mitchell Street.
Link marking refurbishment will result in Carmbroe Road closing between 8pm and 6am next Wednesday to Friday, March 24-26.
This will be between the new roundabout at the Barratt Homes site and the A8 eastbound onslip, with diversions for drivers including Paddock Street, Sykeside Road, the B802 Main Street and the A8 Chapelhall North Link Road.
Lorne Place is shutting for carriageway patching, from Sikeside Street to Afton Gardens, between 6am and 6pm on March 28.
Motorists are warned there will be no diverted routes available, although pedestrians will still be able to access the road.
The A89 Glasgow Road will be closed westbound from 9.30am to 6pm on April 4 for the completion of ironwork replacements.
The area affected will be between the roundabout at Drumpellier Business Park and the roundabout at Oakridge Road.
Alternative roads to use will include Blair Road, Townhead Road, the A89 Coatbridge Road and the A752 Gartcosh Road .
Ingredients:
■75mlredwine
■ 1 tbsp brandy
■1shallotsliced
■1clovegarlicgrated
■300gchickenlivers
■1tbspsunfloweroil
■ 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped ■40mldoublecream ■150gunsaltedbutter,melted
■ 75 ml clarified butter (melted to top)
Method
1. Tip the wine, brandy, shallot and garlic into a saucepan, bring to boil and simmer for about 35 minutes until reduced, then set aside to cool.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, fry the livers for around 1 minute on either side until brown on the outside but still rosy in the middle. Tip into a colander to remove any excess fat.
3. Tip the livers into a food processor along with the cooled red wine mixture, adding half the thyme leaves, cream and melted butter. Blend to a fine puree. Season generously then pour into a jar of six ramekins. Transfer to the fridge to set for 2 hours. 4. Once the parfait is set, sprinkle the remaining thyme leaves on top and spoon over a thin layer of melted clarified butter. Transfer back to the fridge to set. Clarified butter – to make, warm unsalted butter in a pan over a low heat. Leave to cool and settle for a couple of minutes, then spoon off the golden clarified butter from the top leaving the milk solids in the pan.
Great news has been reported Fresh hope for all in sight By this I mean a new vaccine It’s hoped will halt our plight. It claims a high success rate So bring it on, I say;
That in effect, it helps protect Those most at risk each day
So many hearts are hurting
So many lives been claimed
With this advance there’s every chance
The beast shall soon be tamed. So let’s be ever careful
Although restrictions bite,
And not forget, despite this threat, The tunnel has some light.
Just mind the rules and don’t be fools
Until we turn the tide.
* To submit a poem for publication in Poet’s Corner, email judith.tonner@ reachplc.com