NHS Highland, The Highland Council, Partnerships for Wellbeing and Highland Drug and Alcohol Action Team are today releasing information on three weeks designed to showcase and raise awareness of the importance of being healthy now and for the future. In January this year thousands of school pupils and people from communities across the region took part in the first Healthy Highland Week which was part of the launch celebrations for Scotland’s Year of Highland Culture and the Healthy Highland Year.
 
NHS Highland chair Garry Coutts said: “Our environment should be an inspiration to us when we think about improving our health and that’s why we are taking part in Highland 2007. There are lots of activities people can take part in as individuals, families or groups and we’re taking this opportunity to highlight them.”

The forthcoming three themed weeks focus on weight, schools and alcohol. You can find out how to take part in existing events or register your own event at www.healthyhighland.com which also includes a link to information and a photo gallery of impressive events and community projects that have been taking place throughout the year led by Partnerships for Wellbeing. The gallery already features inspiring pictures from the schools events which took place earlier this year.

Dr Eric Baijal, Director of Public Health, NHS Highland commended all the initiatives that have been launched during this special year by local community groups and the partner organisations. “Healthy Highland 2007 is about creating a cultural legacy and I can’t think of a better legacy than a fitter, healthier population.”

Ian Murray, Head of Community, Learning and Leisure echoed the importance of how special themed weeks can lead to sustainable ventures. ”Since January we have heard that some of the activities people tried then have really taken off and for a little amount of input the outcomes have been really impressive. Young people in Alness for example tried out spinning classes as a taster session and the community has now invested in cycles and trainers allowing young people to continue to use that as a way of getting regular exercise”

Fiona Hampton, director of Highland 2007, said: “The first Healthy Highland Week was a great success and helped to launch the year of celebrations as part of Highland 2007.  It is great that the momentum has continued throughout the year, these additional showcase weeks will highlight the importance of health in the Highlands this year and beyond.”

Notes to Editors

The photo gallery at www.healthyhighland.com includes pictures submitted by the schools to demonstrate the activities they took part in during the first Healthy Highland week in January. You are welcome to use these as they have already been cleared with parents for publication.

Further details will be released in advance of each week and each week will include a number of photo and interview opportunities to cover topics and events in addition to those mentioned here.

Eat Better, Move More. Why Weight? September 10th to 17th
 
NHS Highland, Highland Council and Partnerships for Well-being are uniting to promote the wealth of opportunities available for Highlanders to ‘Eat Better and Move More’. The key message is that we can all eat a little better and move more no matter how healthy we are.

Special 5 minute MOTs will be on offer in leisure centres across Highland following on the very popular Haynes manual guidance. Members of the public will be taken through the various simple checks and given advice for optimum performance! Why not take your body along for a pit stop? Other events range from healthy pot luck lunches and themed walks. The notion of the outside influences on healthy weight is considered in the launch of a consultation to develop a Highland Healthy Weight strategy.

Fiona Clarke, Health Promotion Specialist Food & Nutrition stated that, “It’s important to take an environmental view of the influences on weight which extend beyond individual responsibility and provide guidance for a co-ordinated, consistent and comprehensive approach to promoting healthy weight. To get involved and be inspired by the range of events please go tovwww.healthyhighland.com and click on the Why Weight? Option.
 
Healthy Highland Week for Schools October 29th to November 5th

This is the second opportunity this year for all members of our school communities to present the wide range of initiatives and activities they take part in to promote healthy living. Louise Thomas, Health Promoting Schools Manager stated that. “During the second Healthy Highland week schools will again be offered a ‘menu’ of activities in which to take part, but as with the successful first healthy highland week in January the most impressive events came from ideas that the schools made happen”. Earlier pres releases demonstrated that schools stated many times that every week was a healthy week in their school but enjoyed the opportunity to try something new or just demonstrate exactly how much they do in being a health promoting school.

Safe Celebrations: does your drinking add up? December 3rd to 10th

In December the Highland Drug and Alcohol Action Team will be focussing on Safe Celebrations asking Highlanders “Does your drinking add up?”  There will be many events and activities throughout the week to be announced.

Highland 2007

Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture, aims to promote the Highlands and Islands as a great place to live and to visit through showcasing the unique and special nature of Highland culture past, present and future.  The project is a partnership between three principal funding agencies: The Highland Council, the Scottish Executive, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. See www.highland2007.com for full details.

For further information contact

Louise Thomas
01463 704959

Susan Rose
01463 707903