Health Promotion

The information on this web page forms part of the 1999 'County Durham Sustainable Communities Initiative'. The campaign is currently being reviewed and developed as a region wide project.

Promoting Healthier Lifestyles in County Durham

Good physical and mental health is something we all value highly for our families, friends and ourselves. The main advances in health in the 21st Century will come in three ways:

Encouraging individuals to lead healthier and safer lives.
Creating healthier and safer environments in which people can live, work and play.
Providing high quality health services.

Individuals, groups and organisations can help to achieve the above advances by working together. The most up-to-date research indicates that the following actions improve health greatly:

Stopping smoking
Physical activity
Healthy eating
Reduce alcohol consumption

Your community may have a lot of ideas about how to get these changes going. Some activities that have worked well in other communities include:

Stop smoking support groups, either in GP surgeries or community centres. Local GPs, practice nurses or pharmacists can provide advice and information.
Increasing smoke free areas in public buildings, shops, pubs and play areas can help people breathe less smoke.
Run an awareness campaign with shopkeepers and other retailers about not selling tobacco to under 16 year olds.
Publicise community walks to local picnic areas, local council’s leisure services will provide information and advice.
Ask local GP practices about "Exercise on Referral" programmes.
Offer a tea-dance, line dance or any other locally popular event which will also promote exercise.
Encourage local employers who have dining or canteen facilities to apply for a Heartbeat Award, which looks at healthy eating choices.
Promote support for local vegetable and fruit suppliers by raising the awareness of the recommended daily intake of five portions of fruit and veg.
Consider starting a gardening/allotment club and selling the produce locally or bartering them for other goods.
Run a practical cookery course in the community e.g. "Hands on Health" with advice and support from dieticians/Health Promotion. Conclude with a "Community Banquet".
Promote sensible drinking messages in community settings e.g. not drinking more than recommended weekly limits and having some alcohol-free days a week.
Promote awareness that there are some situation where it is healthier to be alcohol free e.g. when driving, when pregnant, when taking medicines etc.
Support local youth organisations in their alcohol education work with young people e.g. provide resources and role models.
Encourage local alcohol retailers to promote non alcoholic drinks by lowering prices.
Promote opportunities for young people to meet and socialise in places that are safe and not an alcohol oriented venue.