New campaign asks Swindon smokers 'What Will You Miss?'

People who smoke in Swindon are being urged to think about the moments that matter most to them, as a major regional campaign launches to help more people quit for good.

At the heart of the campaign is a simple question aimed at the 17,900 people who still smoke in Swindon, making up 9.3% of the population: "What will you miss?"

The campaign launches with one hundred days to go until 1st January 2027, when the UK's smokefree generation law takes effect, meaning anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco.

The law will stop the next generation from ever starting, but it does not change anything for adults who smoke today, organisers said.

Smoking remains the biggest preventable cause of illness and early death in the South West.

Around six thousand six hundred people in the region die from smoking-related illnesses every year, the equivalent of about eighteen lives lost every day.

In Swindon, around two hundred and thirty people die each year from smoking-related illness, equivalent to about five people a week.

Smokefree South West, a partnership of fifteen local authorities working with the NHS, is launching the "What Will You Miss?" campaign ahead of Stoptober, to encourage people who smoke to take the first step towards quitting and access free local support.

Swindon Borough Council is among the local authorities backing the campaign.

The campaign is based on an approach developed by Greater Manchester's Make Smoking History programme, working alongside people who smoke.

It will be shown on television, radio and social media to people who smoke across the South West, alongside promotion from the council.

At the centre of the campaign is a film following a bride on her wedding day, surrounded by family but missing the one person she most wanted there.

Its message is that "smoking doesn't just take years from your life, it takes you away from the moments that matter most".

A recent survey of more than 1,600 people who smoke across the South West found many already want to quit but struggle to turn that motivation into action.

While health concerns are among the strongest reasons people consider stopping, the survey found around two in three people who smoke currently have no intention of quitting.

The research also found most people who smoke have already tried to quit at least once, but confidence remains low, with many doubting their ability to stop successfully.

The campaign aims to make the risks of smoking more tangible, encourage quit attempts across the region, and quickly connect people to effective support, organisers said.

Councillor Vinay Manro, Swindon Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, said smoking "is a leading cause of preventable illness and early death in Swindon, and it affects some of our communities far more than others".

"This campaign is about reaching people who smoke with a message that connects with what matters to them personally," Cllr Manro said.

"Choosing whether to stop smoking is a personal decision. Our role is to make sure people have clear information and effective support available when they decide they want to quit," he said.

"Many people who smoke have tried to stop before. With the right support, people are up to three times more likely to quit successfully, and that support is free and available locally through our Stop Smoking Service," Cllr Manro said.

"Our advisers provide friendly, non-judgemental support tailored to each person. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. We want people to know that help is there when they are ready to use it," he said.

"In the past year, Swindon's Stop Smoking Service supported 1,230 quit attempts, with 380 people successfully quitting, a quit rate of 31 per cent," Cllr Manro said.

"Support is available face-to-face, over the phone or online through an eight to twelve week programme," he said.

Residents can find out more, or make a referral to the Swindon Stop Smoking Service, at www.swindon.gov.uk/stopsmoking or by calling 01793 465513, Cllr Manro said.

Emma Kain, Director of Public Health for Swindon Borough Council, said stopping smoking is hard "because people become dependent on nicotine and the behaviour becomes a habit".

"But with the right motivation, and the right support, you can quit for good and have more years in good health to spend with your loved ones, which is what we want for all our Swindon residents," Ms Kain said.

Matt Lenny, Director of Public Health for North Somerset Council and Senior Programme Sponsor for Smokefree South West, said that in one hundred days' time, "a child born today will grow up in a country where they can never legally be sold a cigarette".

"That is a genuine landmark. But it changes nothing for the five hundred thousand people across the South West who smoke right now, many of whom have been trying to stop for years. This campaign is for them," Mr Lenny said.

"Smoking remains one of the biggest causes of poor health and health inequalities across the South West, but it doesn't have to be this way," he said.

"The good news is that people are three times more likely to quit successfully when they have the right support, and free help is available locally in every part of the South West," Mr Lenny said.

"We're building on a proven campaign that has already been used successfully in Greater Manchester and in other regions. By bringing that evidence-based approach to the South West and connecting people with local stop smoking services, we have a real opportunity to help more people quit and live longer, healthier lives," he said.

"Through our partnership with the NHS, we'll reach more people, raise awareness of the support available and help create a healthier, smokefree future for our region," Mr Lenny said.