About
The Smoking Cessation Community Grant is an initiative aimed at helping adults stop smoking, recognising that quitting smoking is one of the most important steps individuals can take to improve their physical and mental health.
This grant scheme was launched during 2024/25 by Torbay Communities in partnership with the Torbay Council Public Health team. The scheme invited local community and voluntary sector organisations to run new projects to support smoking cessation..
What has been funded?
The grant funded several innovative projects:
Melville Hill Community Group: Provided peer support and professional talks on various cessation strategies and aspects of wellbeing, along with video diary creation.
Gaia Giving: Offered weekly peer-to-peer support sessions at Gaia coffee shop.
Turning Heads: Integrated smoking cessation advice and support promotion into their social supermarket delivery.
Wellbeing Workshops: Conducted a series of informational and peer support workshops.
Torbay & South Devon NHS Trust Charity: Launched a campaign, new website, and online peer support networks to help women quit smoking earlier in their pregnancy.
What has been achieved?
Throughout these projects, 20 staff and volunteers from these organisations completed e-learning courses from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. 69 individuals engaged with the projects, resulting in 45 quit dates being set and 31 successful quits. The success of the projects was attributed to several factors, including a clear programme of activities related to smoking cessation conducted within community spaces and led by the community. Trusted relationships between providers and the community, peer-to-peer support, and integration with other wellbeing activities such as nutrition, yoga, mindfulness, and breathwork also played crucial roles. Additionally, the projects benefited from a non-judgmental environment, flexibility to work with individuals at their own pace, and the use of video and social media to reinforce messages and provide a platform for support.
Participants shared positive experiences, highlighting the supportive community and effective strategies:
“I didn’t expect quitting smoking to come with new friends — but here we are. We still text each other every week to check in.”
“I came here for a coffee and ended up quitting smoking — I didn’t think it would happen, but the right words at the right time from someone who ‘got it’ made all the difference. Knowing Nina had given up smoking using vapes really helped me believe I could do the same.”
Relaunching a 2025/2026 programme
Building on the momentum of this work, the scheme will be relaunched for 2025/26, welcoming new organisations to apply for grants.
To be alerted when the scheme launches, please subscribe to email updates from Torbay Communities at https://www.torbaycommunities.com/news/.
Free e-learning resources are available to help staff and volunteers have positive conversations about smoking cessation via The National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT).
For more information about support to stop smoking, contact the Torbay Specialist Stop Smoking Service at Your Health Torbay.
