A new initiative is being launched across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to promote healthier, more family-friendly grassroots football by encouraging local clubs to adopt smoke-free sidelines.
The Smokefree Sidelines project is designed to discourage smoking and vaping at children’s football matches, promoting positive role models and protecting young people from harm.
With 67,200 children in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire living in smoking households and around 2,500 children starting to smoke each year, the initiative is a vital step in tackling one of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire’s biggest public health challenges. Children are four times more likely to start smoking if a parent or caregiver smokes.
Building on the successful work led by Rushcliffe Borough Council, this collaborative effort between Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and the Nottinghamshire Football Association aim to create a more positive environment for children, young people, and families to enjoy the game, free from the harmful effects and visibility of smoking.
Clubs that sign up will receive a free Smokefree Sidelines kit, which includes footballs, bibs, bags and pavement boards, as well as a toolkit of posters, guidance and social media materials. These resources will help clubs make their sidelines smoke-free and visibly show their commitment to creating a healthier, family-friendly environment.
Councillor Helen Kalsi, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at Nottingham City Council, said: “We want to give every child and young person in Nottingham the best start in life, and that means protecting them from the harms of smoking and vaping. By taking action right on the pitch where young people play, we are promoting positive role models and showing that football is about health, teamwork and enjoyment. I’d encourage every local club to sign up and be part of this important step towards a healthier future for our city.”
Councillor Dawn Justice, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “Encouraging children and young people to stay fit and healthy is so important for their long-term health and wellbeing, and playing football is a popular and fun way to do this. While encouraging children to be healthy we also need to protect them from things that can cause harm to their health, like smoking or vaping. The Smokefree Sidelines project will help to create spaces at local clubs where children can play in a clean smoke-free environment, taking part in the beautiful game and enjoying a healthy lifestyle.”
Elaine Oram, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire FA, commented: “This is a fantastic initiative that safeguards the health of young players throughout the county. Saturday and Sunday mornings across Nottinghamshire are dominated by children of all ages taking important steps to improve their wellbeing by exercising at football – and this environment should be one that does nothing but positively impact their health. The implementation of smokefree sidelines will further enhance players’ positive experience of football and encourage them to stay in the game for longer, further improving their physical health. That is something we are passionate about.”
Notts County Foundation Health Manager, Alex Toplis said: ”At Notts County Foundation, we’re committed to using the power of football to inspire healthier communities. The Smokefree Sidelines initiative aligns with our values of promoting wellbeing and creating positive environments for young people to thrive. By supporting smokefree grassroots football, we’re helping ensure that children and families across Nottinghamshire can enjoy the game in a safe, healthy, and supportive space. It’s a simple, but an important step towards a healthier future across our communities.”
Colin Eley, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said: “Grassroots football is a vital part of our community’s health, and the environment we create on the sidelines is just as important as the activity on the pitch. This Smokefree Sidelines initiative perfectly matches our commitment at Nottingham Forest Community Trust to promoting health, setting positive examples, and ensuring that all young people can enjoy the game in the healthiest possible setting. We fully support this move to create smoke-free spaces for our future players and their families.”
Local football clubs within Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are encouraged to sign up now and access the free resources at: www.nottsmoking.co.uk/protecting-others/smokefree-sidelines/
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