The successful collaboration between Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme (LOCSP), Leyton Orient Football Club (LOFC) and the initiative known as Coping Through Football (CTF) was enhanced recently with the presentation of a smoking cessation workshop delivered by the local NHS Trust.

Coping Through Football is a transformational project that demonstrates how two sporting charities, namely the London Playing Fields Foundation and Leyton Orient Community Sports Programme can work with the NHS to produce a sustainable recovery model approach to engage with and improve the wellbeing of young to mid-life adults who have enduring mental illness.

The project shows how sport can:

• help tackle stigma and discrimination

• can work together with the health sector on shared agendas to reduce inequalities

• be a tool for engagement with harder to reach groups

• assist in the recovery of those with mental ill health

As part of the programme, regular workshops covering health and healthy living issues are also provided, the latest being delivered by Lyn Beaman, Smoking Cessation Specialist for Mental Health at the NHS Foundation Trust. “It was a condensed session due to time constraints but really well received, “commented Lyn, “and all participants will receive a certificate of attendance. There is lots of free help and advice for those wanting to quit (smoking) and it was great to attend a project such as CTF where anxiety and lack of confidence can lead to smoking as a form of relief.”

Sonia Smith, Occupational Therapist and Coping Through Football Project Co-ordinator said afterwards, “Nineteen members of Coping Through Football attended the Smoking Cessation Workshop which was very informative. The session began with an interactive myth busting quiz and then the group was shown photographs of the physical damage (oral cancer, gangrene, tumours, impotence) caused by smoking which made the consequences more real and immediate. The group was surprised to hear how quickly a person experienced health benefits once they stopped smoking. The addictive nature of smoking was explored in conjunction with how pharmacotherapies (e.g. nicotine, gum and patches) could ease cravings. This session has enabled us to encourage group members to engage with services to obtain support to give up smoking.”

On completion of the workshop, held in the pavilion adjacent to the Score 3G pitch, football took over once again with a well contested match taking place.

A further workshop, this time concentrating on healthy eating and nutrition, will take place later in the year.

If you would like more information on CTF, please contact Sonia Smith, Occupational Therapist, Waltham Forest Access & Assessment Team, Coping Through Football Project Co-ordinator, 26 Low Hall Lane, Walthamstow E17 8BE Tel: 0300 555 1242 ext 8471