A New Pal in Preston

I remain in Lancashire! After yesterday’s amusements in Burnley I headed west until I reached historic Preston (England’s newest city) where I was greeted by Deepdale Duck, the mascot of Preston North End FC.

Despite being a penguin, I’m a bit of a culture vulture. So I’ve been particularly looking forward to this leg of my tour since Preston has at least six museums and is home to the famous Guild Hall.

I was lucky to have a guide around the city centre in the form of Deepdale Duck. It was an honour to meet him, after all he’s ambassador to a club that was a founder member of the football league back in 1888. DD was tremendously helpful and all too pleased to show me Preston’s sights.

But let’s not forget that there was serious business to be done. So we then waddled off to meet up with our colleagues from the Smokefree North West team who were dutifully pitching their message at a stall at The Mall shopping centre.

While there we met with lots of shoppers, and our persuasive team were able to sign up plenty of smokers interested in making use of NHS stop smoking services. It didn’t surprise me to hear that the Stop Smoking Service at NHS Central Lancashire was able to help 3,228 people become smokefree last year.

If you missed us today, but would like more information on how the NHS can help you quit smoking, call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252. My friends there will point you in the right direction.

DD and I may not be birds of a feather but we did get on famously, and so he’s promised to keep me up to date with how the Lilywhites perform this season. I look forward to it! Good luck PNE!

Sadly, I shall conclude my jaunt around this fair county tomorrow. But fear not! The Lancashire leg is ending on a high; for I will be in that great and historic resort of Blackpool. Fish and chips twice!

Ta ta!