Bid to reverse tide of ill-health among poor in Bognor

Now, in a bid to remedy the shocking statistic, a new health awareness campaign is being launched in the town next week.

The Arun Wellbeing Team has been set up in response to research showing 4,000 children in the district are living in low-income households and the area having the highest levels of vulnerable elderly people in the county.

Funded by NHS West Sussex, the 600,000 initiative over three years is a joint partnership supported by Arun District Council, Inspire Leisure and West Sussex County Council.

Its five-strong team will be working with voluntary organisations to provide health advice on diets, exercise and lifestyle which will offer a significant boost to many families within the area. The team will support and fund many wellbeing-based mental and physical health projects in the community and is supported by local doctors and health workers.

A Bognor launch of the district-wide scheme takes place at the Wellbeing marquee in the town centre on Tuesday, from 11.30am to 3pm. It will showcase a wide range of healthy activities and projects on offer across Arun taking place over the coming months. Events will also be held at The Arena in Bognor Regis on Monday, from 10am to midday and at the Laburnum Centre from 1.30pm to 3pm.

Hazel Flack, manager of the Arun Wellbeing team, said: "Our main aim is to promote good health for residents which will result in them having a better quality of life.

"Until fairly recently the NHS was seen as the service you used when you were ill, but the thinking now is that it's far better to prevent illness rather than treat it, which is where initiatives like this come in.

"Not only do we provide support to show individuals how they can help themselves to become more active, stop smoking and eat healthier, we also provide support to local organisations to set up projects and activities which will help to improve the health of residents.

"No one organisation can change things alone, but by linking together and pooling resources, which is what the Arun Wellbeing team is all about. I really hope we can inspire people to make a change."

She explained some of the health initiatives it will be supporting include family cookery sessions involving creating quality meals on a budget. The Wellbeing is also supporting schemes to address childhood obesity.

Councillor Robin Brown, Arun's cabinet member for community care and housing, said: "Arun is a great place to enjoy life and get fit and improving the health and wellbeing of all our residents is an important priority for Arun District Council and its health partners.

"To enable us to achieve this we have brought together a dedicated team which will be able to guide and support our residents and businesses to a brighter, healthier future.

"The team has already spent a lot of time out and about, but this week-long launch is a great way of reaching many more people.

n Log on to www.arun.gov.uk/wellbeing