Tipperary youth groups call for local support ahead of X-HALE Youth Awards as they compete for National Award

Young people from Céim Eile Youthreach in Templemore, Clonmel Youth Training Centre, Roscrea Youthreach, Youthreach Cappawhite, Carrick on Suir NYP, Fethard & Killenaule Youth Project, Thurles Youth Project and Tipp Town Youth Project are calling on their local communities to help them win a national award as part of the Irish Cancer Society’s X-HALE Youth Awards. This year’s awards have seen a record number of entries from youth groups across Ireland.

The groups have submitted films that encourage young people to be smoke free into the X-HALE Short Film Competition. They are calling on people in Tipperary to show their support and view their film online so they can be in the running to win one of the top awards on offer.

Céim Eile Youthreach, Clonmel Youth Training Centre, Roscrea Youthreach, Youthreach Cappawhite, Carrick on Suir NYP, Fethard & Killenaule Youth Project, Thurles Youth Project and Tipp Town Youth Project all have an opportunity to win the public vote by getting the most views of their short film. They want people in Tipperary to log on to www.cancer.ie/xhale2019 and view their films between now and July 2nd. The groups will also be running a community campaign to drum up local support and the entry with the most views will win the Online Award, which also includes a prize for the youth group.

Sarah Chadwick, Cancer Prevention Officer at the Irish Cancer Society said: “We are absolutely delighted with the entries from Tipperary this year, and with all that the young people have achieved. They have educated themselves about smoking, learned new skills and worked together to create a smoking prevention film that will inform and inspire young people across Ireland and beyond.”

“Groups like these in Tipperary are leading the way in the movement towards a tobacco free Ireland and in doing so, improving the health of their local communities. We are now asking everyone in Tipperary to show their support for their local group by watching and sharing the X-HALE 2019 playlist,” Chadwick concluded.

For further information about X-HALE and to watch the entries visit www.cancer.ie/xhale. Follow the X-HALE Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/XHaleYouthAwards and join the X-HALE conversation using the #xhale2019.

About X-HALE

X-HALE is a smoking prevention project of the Irish Cancer Society which aims to de-normalise smoking and encourage young people to drive the moment towards a tobacco free generation.

The Society works with youth organisations across the country, supporting them to explore and take on issues around smoking in their local communities. X-HALE empowers young people to become leaders in their communities and help prevent other young people from smoking. Since 2011, The Irish Cancer Society has awarded approximately €160,000 in grants to support youth groups nationwide. This year saw increased funding to local groups as a result of an EU Health Award win in November 2018.

This is the ninth year of the X-HALE Youth Awards and smoking rates among young people continue to decline.  In 2019, 57 youth groups from around the country are participating in the initiative. Entries submitted show that young people truly understand the dangers of smoking and the power of the tobacco industry.

 

Comments are closed.