Guernsey smoking charity shuts after 16 years

A Guernsey charity set up to teach young people about the dangers of smoking is to close after 16 years.

GASP was formed in 1997 and chairman Alun Williams said it had delivered more than 5,000 anti-smoking lessons.

The main sponsor of the charity, the Health and Social Services Department, has been gradually scaling back funding and stopped completely in 2012.

A health department spokesman said it would be providing services similar itself when the charity closes in June.

The charity's patron, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, said the decision to close had been difficult but without funding it would be challenging to find a part-time worker to continue the service.

Dr Stephen Bridgman, director of public health, said the latest evidence found that working across a number of departments to educate young people about the dangers of smoking and drinking was the best way to get the message across.