Winter 2025 Newsletter - SmokeFree Hull

Truth: Nicotine gives a temporary sense of relief because it eases withdrawal symptoms not stress. In fact, smoking increases anxiety and tension over time. Quitting can lead to better long-term mental health.

Truth: It’s never too late. Within 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate drops. Within weeks, lung function improves. Long-term benefits include reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer—no matter your age.

Truth: Some people do gain a little weight, but it’s manageable, and far less harmful than smoking. Healthy eating, staying active, and support can help you maintain a healthy weight while quitting.

Truth: Vaping is not risk-free, but it’s significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco. It can be a useful tool for quitting smoking when used with support from a stop smoking service.

Truth: Most people try several times before quitting for good. Every attempt teaches you something new. With the right support, tools, and mindset, success is absolutely possible.

In my spare time, I love cooking from scratch and trying out new recipes — I’m really into health and wellness and allergy awareness, so I like knowing exactly what goes into my meals. I’m also a bit of an artist; I mostly draw digitally on Procreate or with coloured pencils, but I’ve recently started experimenting with acrylic markers to switch up my style. 

When I’m not sketching or cooking, you’ll probably find me online shopping for new self-care products, healthy ingredients to try, or hunting for comfy new fashion pieces now that we’re officially back in sweater weather. I’m also working towards my Level 3 Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health, which ties in with my interest in wellbeing and the work we do at SmokeFree Hull.

If I could only listen to one song forever, it would definitely have to be something from the early 2000s — a proper girl boss party anthem. Think Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, or the Spice Girls — something that gets me up in the morning and keeps my momentum going all day, or where I can pretend I’m doing my own concert or featuring in a music video, so I can keep it fun and not repetitive!

I never had one specific job in mind when I was younger, but I’ve always been surrounded by people who work in caring and community roles. Seeing how they each make a difference in their own way definitely shaped my values and inspired me to follow a similar path. For a while, I was really interested in becoming a probation officer, and it’s still something I might explore in the future, but right now I’m focused on building my skills and experience with SmokeFree Hull. I love being part of a service that supports people through real, positive change.

I really love being the first point of contact for people coming into the service as part of the administrative team. I know how important that first conversation can be — it’s the first hurdle and it sets the tone for the rest of their journey. I like being able to ease any anxiety, explain what to expect, and make sure clients feel comfortable and confident about the process ahead. It can be so rewarding knowing that a friendly voice can make such a difference. I also enjoy seeing the impact our service has on the community — looking at success rates, trends, and feedback helps us keep improving and tailoring what we do to meet our client’s needs.

Definitely moisturiser — I can’t relax with sunburned skin and chapped lips! And I’d have to bring my two cats with me; I’d make a terrible hunter, so at least they’d keep me company (and maybe help out a bit).

As I mentioned earlier, I love cooking from scratch and focusing on health, wellness, and allergy awareness. I have coeliac disease, which basically means my body can’t process gluten — so things like bread, pasta, and cakes have to be made a little differently for me. 

Because of that, my favourite meals are usually the ones that feel like a treat — when a restaurant goes beyond the same gluten-free options I see everywhere, or when I’m on holiday and can visit gluten-free bakeries or fast-food chains like Burger King and McDonald’s. 

My go-to cuisine is definitely Asian-inspired — I love Thai and Indian food because they naturally use rice or chickpea flour instead of wheat, which means I can enjoy more variety (and flavour!).

Before joining SmokeFree Hull, I worked in Early Help supporting families who were under pressure, isolated, or finding things difficult. I’ve always wanted to be in a role where I can make a difference to people’s wellbeing, sometimes going beyond just their physical health. 

Working in smoking cessation has helped me build my skillset and confidence in speaking with all kinds of people, each with their own stories and goals. Here, we are trained in trauma and psychologically informed care, which really shapes how I approach conversations — with empathy, patience, and understanding. 

If anyone reading this has spoken to me on the phone, I hope they’ve felt that I value our conversations and that I genuinely care and want them to succeed.

I have two three-year-old cats — a very grumpy (and chunky) tabby called Joey, and a shy little tortoiseshell called Jinxx.

Joey came to me as a tiny kitten from a family who had a few too many cats, and Jinxx was a Gumtree rescue — I couldn’t get her little face out of my head from the advert, so she had to come home with me. They’re complete opposites in personality, but they adore each other and spend most of their time cuddled up together or watching birds from the window. I’ve also recently registered as a foster carer with Yorkshire Cat Rescue to support cats and kittens who need some extra help — whether that’s confidence-building, recovering from injury, or just a quiet space to feel safe. I haven’t had any extra bowls in the kitchen yet, but I’m really looking forward to getting started!

It would have to be singing and performing. I would be an absolute nightmare if I could do karaoke, I would be giving full concerts at the pub for free!

I love a bit of time by the sea to recharge, but I’m definitely more of a sightseeing kind of traveller. I like to make the most of my time away — sampling the local food, exploring cultural landmarks, and finding those breathtaking views you can’t quite capture on camera. 

My dream holiday would be visiting an endangered or protected conservation area like in the Galápagos, Kenya, or Madagascar. I’d love to see the wildlife and get involved with the work they do to protect native species, from elephants and penguins to big cats and marine life. I think experiences like that would be unforgettable — not just for the views, but for the chance to feel connected to something bigger and to learn more about the world we share. 

One of my long-term goals is to create prints of my artwork featuring endangered animals and donate the proceeds to WWF — though I’ll definitely need a bit more practice before I’d expect anyone to hang them on their wall!