Donegal students from AVS design posters discouraging smoking and vaping

A poster competition was held at the Abbey Vocational School (AVS), Donegal Town with the collaboration of HSE CH CDLMS Smoking Cessation Services, Rowanfield House Residential Unit and Ascain Training & Support Service to highlight World No Tobacco Day on May 30.

The competition consisted of students from Transition Year producing posters discouraging vaping/smoking tobacco, after an awareness talk was delivered to them in school on the subject by staff of the Smoking Cessation and Mental Health Services.  

This year World No Tobacco Day 2024 gives a platform to young people across the world, to urge governments to shield them from predatory tobacco marketing tactics.

The industry targets youth for a lifetime of profits, creating a new wave of addiction. Children are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all regions and globally an estimated 37 million youth aged 13-15 years use tobacco.

ABOVE: L-R Anne Marie Hannigan (Asst. Director of Nursing), Aisling Kane (Clinical Nurse Specialist CBT Ard Nua), Gemma McLoone (Ascain Manager), Nuala McNulty (Rowanfield House), Jacqui McManus (CNM2), Peadar McDaid (Ascain), Dawn Hanna (Stop Smoking Advisor), and Patricia McNeely (Staff Officer), with the winning poster by Abbey Vocational School Student, Anna Wray.

With this theme in mind the HSE devised a competition providing that very platform for the Transition Year Students.   

The launch of the winning posters was held on May 31 2024 at Rowanfield House.  

The posters will be displayed across CH CDLMS Tobacco Free Campus locations and will also be put up around Abbey Vocational School.

Gemma McLoone, Manager, Ascain Training & Support Service said:

“The collaborative approach was to raise awareness amongst the younger generations as to how tobacco markets are targeting them with the intention of encouraging their addiction to products that will keep these markets in profit for many years ahead.  Our Tobacco Free Campus posters will change monthly as there have been 12 final pieces selected – one for each month of the year.   

This promotes sustainability, keeps the message fresh as it changes 12 times per year.  Thanks to all the students who took part and congratulations to the 12 artists whose pieces were selected. “ 

Anna Wray, the student who won first prize said:

ABOVE: L-R Patricia McNeely (Staff Officer), Dawn Hanna (Stop Smoking Advisor), Peadar McDaid (Ascain), Jacqui McManus (CNM2), Nuala McNulty (Rowanfield House), Aisling Kane (Clinical Nurse Specialist CBT Ard Nua), Anne Marie Hannigan (Asst. Director of Nursing), Gemma McLoone (Ascain Manager), with the winning poster by Abbey Vocational School Students

 "I was delighted to take part in developing a bespoke signage for Rowanfield House in Donegal Town and Ascain in Letterkenny to promote their tobacco and vape free campuses. It was a great experience using my love for art as a gateway into encouraging others in improving their health."