Helping to promote healthy living and protect children from second-hand smoke

Leader of DDC, Cllr Kevin Mills, with winning pupil Ruhan and his mother, and Assistant Head Teacher, Jon Wells

Dover District Council, in partnership with Kent County Council and One You Kent, has been working with pupils in the area to design new signs to help protect children from the dangers of second-hand smoke and promote healthy living.

The winning sign was designed by Guston Church of England Primary School pupil, Ruhan.  He was congratulated by the Leader of DDC, Cllr Kevin Mills, at a school presentation on Friday, (18 July). 

The winning sign is being posted in DDC-owned play areas across the district, as part of a partnership project across the county. This follows news that KCC has launched a campaign to roll out a range of new ‘smokefree spaces’ across Kent.

The spaces are being introduced in various locations to:

• Deter smokers from smoking tobacco in public spaces and vaping around children and young people
• Protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke
• Raise awareness of local support to stop smoking
• Reduce litter
• Help create an environment where children see not smoking as normal

The scheme is being set up to promote healthy living, and officers will not be carrying out specific enforcement.

Cllr Kevin Mills, Leader of Dover District Council said: “We are delighted to have been able to work with local school children to help raise awareness of the health issues around smoking. Smoking in public places impacts the whole community, and we are very pleased to be working with KCC and health colleagues to encourage people to do the right thing and protect others, particularly children, from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke.”

For more information on smokefree areas, please see the KCC website.  For more information on play areas/parks in the district, please see our play areas pages.

Cllr Kevin Mills with Head Teacher Mrs Deby Day and winning pupil Ruhan