Clubs are united to smoke out health risk
SMOKING has been banned on the touchline at six local sports clubs.
It’s part of a drive to give children the chance to play sports without being subjected to passive smoking.
Bamford Tennis Club, Heywood Cricket Club, Littleborough Juniors FC, Rochdale Football in the Community, Rochdale Junior FC and Wardle FC signed up to the council’s Smokefree Sports Scheme at a special event held at the Crown Oil Arena.
It means smoking is now banned at training sessions and matches.
David Bottomley, director at Rochdale AFC, attended the event to talk about the club’s experiences of going smoke-free and the impact it can have on the health of their supporters.
He said: “As a former smoker I’m against smoking because I’ve seen the negative effects is has on people’s lives. I smoked for 32 years but finally gave up at the age of 52 because it made me so ill I was hospitalised. The Smokefree Sports Scheme is a fantastic way to attract young people into a healthier world of sport and prevent them from taking up in the first place.
“We are committed to being smoke-free and we hope other clubs will do their part to make our borough healthier.”
The clubs follow in the footsteps of Rochdale Sports Club and Bridge Juniors Football Club, who became the first teams in Rochdale to ban smoking last year.
It is hoped that all sports clubs in the borough with junior teams will become smoke-free and even extend the ban to their adult teams.
The scheme, run by the council in partnership with Link4Life and the Living Well Service, will provide the clubs with a policy, signs and leaflets to help challenge anyone smoking on the touchlines.
They will also provide support for those wanting to give up smoking via the local stop smoking service.
Coun Sameena Zaheer, assistant to the cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We know that smoking is bad for your health as one in two longterm smokers die from smoking related diseases, such as heart disease, cancers and strokes.
“We also know sports are a great way to stay healthy so the two just don’t go together.
“I’m pleased to see our sports clubs taking this step towards our ultimate aim of all children and young people being smoke-free and living in a healthier, happier borough.”
Any club wishing to sign up top the scheme should contact 924187.