The tobacco control team supplied each primary school in Lanarkshire with Jenny and the Bear resources, aimed at primary one children, to highlight the risk of children’s exposure to second-hand smoke to their parents/carers.
This gentle story of a little girl and her teddy, offers the opportunity to explore the themes of a favourite toy, rewarding positive behaviours and consideration for others.
Yvonne Lambie, Yvonne Colquhoun and Karen Griffin from the team sent the bears off to their new homes, putting together each school pack, consisting of a storybook, presenter version, teddy bear, as well as an audio and video version of the story, and organised for them to be distributed to each school.
The complete resource is to support and encourage parents, carers and wider family members not to smoke in front of children, ultimately becoming a positive smoke-free role model.
Handed out to 280 local schools, teachers can show the video or read the story to children in the classroom, and afterwards each primary one child is issued with a shortened version to take home to keep and read with their family.
Tracy-Ann Kidd, health improvement senior – tobacco control, NHS Lanarkshire, commented: “The Jenny and the Bear resources are an interactive and fun way to support teachers to highlight the risks of second-hand smoke.
“Children are especially vulnerable to second-hand smoke as their lungs and immune systems are still developing making them breathe faster; therefore they inhale more toxic chemicals from tobacco smoke than adults.
“By working with North and South Lanarkshire Councils, we’re committed to continuing and developing initiatives that work with families and reduce the barriers they face to creating a smoke-free home and car.”
