Charlotte used cigarettes as ‘me time’ to relax in the evenings – now she’s much happier having time out soaking in a lovely hot bubble bath.

Charlotte said: “I had an old Micra and once the children were in bed and everything was OK, I would go outside sit in the car, wind the window down a tiny bit and have a cigarette. It made me feel so much better and was my way of having time out for me.

“At the time I was a single parent and struggling for money so knew something had to change. When I first quit, I really missed my little friends – my cigarettes. But they were like a monster on my shoulder telling me ‘You’re due a cigarette now’. Once I let go, I became free and actually got my life back. I realised smoking didn’t help me, it did the opposite.

“I want to give something back because life is better after giving up smoking. That’s why I’m doing this job as tobacco lead health promotion advisor and I’m so passionate about it. There’s life after smoking. I feel so much healthier and everything is better now – my job, money, everything.

“Life can be so different without smoking. You can take back that control. I have. I feel like a bird now, I’m free, I can go anywhere.”