THE headteacher of a school where around two-thirds of children live with a smoker has stepped in to help parents quit the habit.

Michele Thomas, the headteacher of Pembroke Dock Community School, became so concerned about smoking parents that she decided to do something about it.

Parents can find it a challenge to get to stop smoking clinics, so Hywel Dda’s Help Me Quit team (HMQ) and the local community pharmacy offered to hold sessions at the school after the morning drop off.

The project started with Public Health Wales giving lessons to the children about the dangers of smoking and the benefits of quitting, including having more money.

The children heard that parents could save £1,000, that could go on things like Christmas presents that got the children fired up about wanting their parents to quit.

“We wanted to use pupil power,” said Mrs Thomas. “So, we held an assembly for the children and said if your parents or someone that you know gave up, they’d have £1,000 to spend on you for Christmas.

“They were all very keen on getting the people that they knew involved in giving up. Many children left that day saying, ‘I know who I’m going to be speaking to’.”

Nine parents signed up after a letter was sent home, with 40 per cent successfully quitting at the end of the six weeks.

One of the parents taking part was mum of three Kristy Briggs, who works at the school as a teaching assistant.

Since giving up her 15-a-day habit Kristy has taken up running and says the support provided by the HMQ advisors was invaluable.

“They were just so supportive,” she said. “It was saying how proud they were of you and they made you feel really welcome.

“They’d ask how I was getting on, and whether there were any times I’d find difficult. They’d give us ideas on what to do.

“I started off with the inhaler and the patches and within about three weeks I decided I didn’t want the patches anymore.

“I took up running and each week as I give up smoking, I noticed I was running further, I wasn’t getting out of breath as quickly. It was really good.”

Cath Einon, from HMQ, said the children did an incredible job of spreading the word about the benefits of quitting smoking among the community.

Ms Einon said: “I think the nagging of the children on grandparents and friends and family has had a real impact on the wider community as well.”

Headteacher Mrs Thomas admitted she’d underestimated the scale of the problem, saying she was “shocked” at the number of smoking households.

The school now hopes to hold further sessions at the school and for parents to be able to return if they fall off the wagon and start smoking again.

Mrs Thomas added she hopes the children have benefited from the project and avoid taking up the habit themselves.

“It was a good educational opportunity,” she said.

“They learnt all about the dangers of smoking, of passive smoking as well, they learnt about the law and also about the costs - so I think it was a good learning experience and hopefully a motivator in the future for them not to take it up.”

Suzanne Cass is CEO of tobacco control group ASH Wales praised the innovative nature of the scheme, but said more needs to be done across Wales to make stop smoking services more accessible to smokers.