Art aims to make smoking habit go up in smoke
AN ART project in Lancashire Hill is hoping to succeed where multi-million pound advertising campaigns have failed.
The temporary installation - called project 474 - of 64 giant cigarette packets sprung up overnight in Lancashire Hill Plaza and remained until Friday.
It is part of an antismoking drive and the one metre tall packets were arranged in the shape of the number 474, the amount of smokingrelated deaths in Stockport every year.
This amount remains despite the large sums of money spent on adverts highlighting the dangers of tobacco.
Curious residents who wandered down to the plaza to have a look were able to get information on help to give up smoking.
Chris Salt, the artist behind the project, said: “We know smoking kills so why do some people continue?
“The array of answers to this question is what drew me to the project and I have been humbled, surprised and intrigued by the response so far.
“Residents of Lancashire Hill can be justly proud that their frank and open welcome to me may guide future services to help and understand them and their needs more fully.”
Councillor John Pantall, executive member for well being, added: “We hope that by exploring responses to smoking through the medium of art, we can stimulate people to see the topic from new perspectives.
“Sharing reflections in this way may encourage people to question if it is time for a change.”