Share your story
If you've successfully quit smoking, one of the most important things you can do to inspire others to follow your lead is to share your story.
Reading or hearing about other people's positive experiences can be very impactful in getting someone to change their thinking from "I will never be able to stop smoking!” to "I can quit smoking, with the right support for me!". Please consider sharing your story with us.
Why share your story?
Your story can be used in a range of potential ways (always only ever with your permission) to encourage other people in Scotland to try giving up smoking.
Online
- Quotations from your story could be featured on our website, social media channels or other information resources to urge people to begin or re-start taking positive steps on their quit smoking journeys. Your story can be anonymised but, for people who are happy to be named and shown, it'd be great if we can take your photo or even interview you for a short video.
In person
- We could support you to give a short talk about your quit smoking experience to our charity's supporters or people/organisations we work with to ensure other people can be supported to give up smoking.
In the news
- We could also write up your story and, with your permission and after you have checked it, supply it to your local newspaper to raise awareness in your community about services available for people aiming to stop smoking. We would always support you to speak with a journalist, if they have any follow-up questions.
Supporting you
We know it can be an emotional experience to share your personal story so we’ll be there with you every step of the way. We will always explain exactly what will be involved with each opportunity and, if you have any concerns or questions, we will provide support and reassurance.
- When we identify an opportunity for which we think your story might be suitable, we will contact you to check that you are still happy for us to use it. We realise that circumstances can change so if you do not want us to proceed in taking the opportunity or have simply changed your mind about us using your story at all, that will be absolutely fine.
- If you're happy for us to use your story to potentially generate media interest, we would write up your story as a news release or feature story and ensure that you get the chance to check what is drafted before we send it to any journalist. We would also only ever set up a conversation for you with a journalist if we have your permission. You won't be asked to do anything that you are not comfortable with and we will speak with you and the journalist through the entire process.
- Most journalists will indicate to you or us about when your story will be published so that you can tell all your friends and family to look out and read all about it! Due to deadline time constraints for journalists, it is not always possible to see the final story before it appears in print. In our extensive experience, however, any errors are likely to be very small.
Can I remain anonymous?
Most opportunities to share your story with media will require you to be named and usually photographed. If you wish to tell your story but remain anonymous, please still get in touch as there may be other ways to raise vital awareness whereby you can remain anonymous.