Kick Ash mentors from Witchford Village College joined a singing flash mob to surprise shoppers in Huntingdon with their smoke free message.

The students took part in the flash mob to promote the national health harms campaign and remind smokers about the physical damage caused by smoking.

Kick Ash is a campaign led by young people who are proud to be smoke free. It involves students from 10 schools across Cambridgeshire who volunteer their time to become Kick Ash mentors. The campaign aims to reduce the number of young people in Cambridgeshire who smoke. They provide volunteer support to local services such as Camquit, Cambridgeshire’s Stop Smoking Service, Trading Standards with their tobacco control business visits as well as supporting community stop smoking events. Part of the work also involves visiting children in primary schools to explore the dangers of smoking.

The Kick Ash Flash Mob, which involved the students performing songs inspiring people to be smoke free, took place in the Chequers Court Area in Huntingdon town centre. Schools involved include Witchford Village College, Cromwell Community College - Chatteris, St Peters School - Huntingdon, Sir Harry Smith Community College - Whittlesey, The Ivo School - St Ives, Cottenham Village College and North Cambridge Academy.

The flash mob is being led by musician Christina Dmytryk Clark and was created by Musical Director Carrie Rawlings.

Kick Ash Mentor Ryan Jackson, aged 14 from Witchford Village College, said: “The flash mob was fun and it was great performing in front of lots of people. It was great sharing our message that we are proud to be smoke free and it is important to make people understand that smoking does real harm to the body”

Brigitte McCormack from Cambridgeshire County Council’s CAMQUIT team added: “The Kick Ash mentors did a brilliant job sharing their message and it was amazing to see their commitment. I’m really proud of what they’ve achieved - they have worked hard and it was great to see local people supporting them.”

For free advice and support on quitting smoking, call Camquit, Cambridgeshire’s Stop Smoking Service, on 0800 018 4304.