No Smoking signs kicking around footy club

Brigades Football Club at Eadon Clarke Oval embraced World No Tobacco Day on May 31 with new ‘no smoking’ signage at their grounds, and an award from the City of Greater Geraldton in recognition of promoting a strong, healthy community.

Using funding from the Department of Health through the Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia (PHAIWA), and Curtin University, the City of Greater Geraldton is working to implement No Smoking projects in Geraldton and Mullewa under the Tobacco Control Grants Scheme. The grants provide funds to allow local governments across the State to expand smoke-free spaces.

Under this scheme a project to install 100 no smoking signs designed by school children was undertaken, and the students received awareness education on tobacco dangers, and support in their art class to create the designs. The signs were designed to complement the standard no smoking signs to make them more accepted in the community.

City Mayor, Ian Carpenter, said local sports clubs were asked if they would like to have a sign from the project installed at their club.

“Many did, and the City produced and installed signs at the clubs and chose Brigades Football Club for the award, as they had already taken the initiative to make their sports ground smoke free,” he said.

“I am pleased to present this award recognising promoting a strong, healthy community on World No Tobacco Day today.”

Students from John Willcock College contributed to the best four designs chosen for different locations including playgrounds, foreshore and sports grounds. All designs were displayed in the Geraldton Regional Library.