Thousands across Cheshire and Merseyside joined the national Stoptober campaign this October 2025, taking the first steps toward a healthier, smokefree life. Stoptober, now in its 13th year, is one of the UK’s most successful public health initiatives, encouraging smokers to quit for 28 days—a milestone that makes them five times more likely to quit for good.
Since its launch in 2012, the campaign has inspired over 2.5 million quit attempts nationwide, reducing smoking-related illness and health inequalities across communities.*
This year, the focus was placed on encouraging smokers looking to quit to engage with their local stop smoking service through our Smoking Ends Here website – launched in March of this year to support residents looking to quit smoking across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Local Impact and Engagement
Across Cheshire and Merseyside, engagement was strong. Our social media Stoptober campaign reached over 121,000 redirecting to our website.
The campaign resonated most with older audiences—particularly those aged 55+, who accounted for the majority of clicks through to local support services. This highlights the importance of supporting older smokers who remain at higher risk of smoking-related harm.
Visitors to the website were most interested in practical benefits and clear starting points, with pages like “Start your stop smoking journey” and “I want to save money” attracting thousands of conversions. This reinforces the message that quitting isn’t just about health—it’s about improving quality of life and financial wellbeing.
Work in local authorities also played a vital role in amplifying Stoptober’s reach, with highlights including:
- One You Cheshire East shared 16 social media posts, reached 412,000 people through community groups, and secured coverage in five press outlets. Their efforts led to 171 people starting the Be Smoke Free programme, with 93 confirmed quits during October.
- Liverpool City Health Care Partnership supported 654 referrals, with 383 clients setting quit dates and 315 opting for harm reduction plans.
These figures demonstrate the power of collaboration in tackling smoking across the subregion.
Why It Matters
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death, responsible for 16 cancers and contributing to stark health inequalities. In Cheshire and Merseyside, 10.4% of adults still smoke, slightly below the national average of 11.6%*, but the ambition is clear: a smokefree subregion by 2030. Our Smoking Ends Here campaign and wider All Together Smokefree strategy are driving this vision forward, supported by initiatives like the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to create the first-ever smokefree generation.
Local Media Support
Stoptober received strong backing from local media.
Director of Public Health for Warrington Debbie Watson spoke to Kevin Duala in a BBC Radio Merseyside Interview on Stoptober and the benefits of using the campaign to encourage quit attempts through local stop smoking services.
Stoptober also featured in articles from The Guide, Mersey News Live, MySefton News, and Knowsley News, all reinforcing the message that quitting is achievable and support is available.
Stories of real people who quit also featured prominently, including a piece by Macclesfield Nub News on Jacqui Williams – a Macclesfield nurse who managed to quit smoking after 40 years.
Together, we’re making progress—but there’s more to do.
Every quit counts toward a healthier, fairer future for Cheshire and Merseyside. For resources and support, visit SmokingEndsHere.com.
*1 – [marketingweek.com]
*2 – [smokingendshere.com], [champspubl…health.com]
