Basketball team to kick butt at Lynn Mall for world smoke free day

‘Give quitting a go’ will be the mantra at LynnMall Shopping Centre on Saturday 30 May as, in conjunction with Harbour Health, the centre will host a range of activities to encourage smokers to kick the habit as part of World Smoke Free Day.

As part of the big day’s events, which will run from 10am to 4pm, the centre will host a mock basketball match that will see members of the NZ Breakers Academy team kick butt against a team of giant cigarettes, followed by spot prizes and autograph signings.

One of the attendees will be Maori TV celebrity Kara Rickard, who fronts the Smoking – Not Our Future! television advertising campaign, and 50 free nicotine replacement therapy packs will be up for grabs for those needing a kickstart.

“There’s never been more support available to smokers who wish to quit, and on Saturday 30 May at LynnMall there will be a whole raft of people on hand to give constructive help and support,” says Lis Cowling, Harbour Health’s Team Leader for Smokefree Communities.

“The use of nicotine replacement therapy – patches, gum and lozenges – doubles smokers’ chances of successfully quitting, because they can ease you through those first withdrawal symptoms. We’d like to encourage people who want to quit to join us on Saturday and ask for advice. Even if you don’t nab one of the free nicotine replacement therapy packs, it costs only about $10 for an eight-week supply of patches, gums or lozenges – a lot less than a two-month supply of cigarettes!”

“The basketball match will be followed by Tongan, Korean and Burmese cultural performances, which reflects the diversity of the LynnMall community and gives everyone a reason to come along and enjoy the day,” says LynnMall Shopping Centre Manager Shelley Jenkin. “It’s a fun day out for families, and we hope anyone who wants to quit smoking sees it as an opportunity to get the boost, along with the advice and support, they might need to do it.

“Along with the entertainment, throughout the day there will be smoking cessation coordinators on hand to offer nicotine replacement therapy to people who would like to stop smoking.”

Harbour Health is a primary health organisation which is promoting World Smoke Free Day and helping those who smoke to ‘Give Quitting a Go’.

For more information, check out http://www.worldsmokefreeday.org.nz/

About LynnMall Shopping Centre
LynnMall has more than 120 specialty stores. The centre is situated in New Lynn, West Auckland and is a short drive from Auckland’s CBD. LynnMall caters to all needs and interests, with major retailers including Foodtown, Farmers, JB HI-FI, Bond and Bond, Noel Leeming, Postie+, Stirling Sports, LynnMall Lollipops Educare and Whitcoulls.