The Health Forum is a community-led health improvement project tasked with bringing together many different groups and agencies in order to enhance the health and well being of the people in the Bogside & Brandywell community and to reduce health inequalities.

FOOD HEALTH & NUTRITION

Since 2001, the Health Forum has become renowned for its expertise in implementing food health & nutritional programmes with a wide range of target groups.

Cook It

A series of demonstration and hands-on programmes where participants gain the skills and confidence to cook healthy menus and recipes for themselves. It is a common misconception that to eat healthy in expensive but this programme goes some way to dispel this myth. The programmes are targeted at the general community as well as a number of groups including the elderly, young mothers. The recipes are healthy, practical in nature and easily prepared at home.

Food For Thought

This programme is delivered in partnership with a number of local primary schools as part of the Investing for Health in Schools project. The programme provides pupils with practical skills in cooking, food safety and nutritional information and lets them experience different types of produce. This programme ran as a pilot in 2005 in six local primary schools. This year we employed Jim Fletcher as the part time tutor to deliver this programme. The in-depth six-week healthy eating programme used the “Balance of Good Health” as it basis.

Back 2 Basics

This programme is a series of practical cooking sessions, physical activity, oral health & smoking cessation targeting teenagers with the objective of tackling and preventing teenage obesity through increased knowledge and practical skills. The projects aim is to educate young people with regard to healthier eating habits as well as how to produce healthier snacks and meals at home, in youth clubs, or when they begin employment or further education. Traditionally teenagers are hard to reach when it comes to educating them in good eating habits. Back 2 Basics is developed in association with WELB, WHSSB and Derry Healthy Cities and City Council.

Healthy Eating Workshops

These events are delivered in conjunction with other local community groups including pupils from St. Mary’s College and local children from youth clubs. The workshops are practical in nature and always very popular with participants. They are timed to coincide with seasonal occasions and have become a key feature during the Féile.

An Gairdín Glas

An Organic Growing Project in partnership with Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir in the Brandywell. The Health Forum assists the Gaelscoil to develop the garden by organising classroom discussions with the children as well as demonstrating seeding, planting etc. at set times during the school year.

Sunrise Healthy Breakfast Club

Over the past two summers the Health Forum has run the ‘Sunrise Club’ in the Gasyard Centre. Between sixty and seventy local children attend daily for a fresh healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and whole grain cereals. After breakfast the children can attend local summer schemes within the local area. It is vital that the children realise the link between nutrition, physical activity and their good health. The club will run this year from Monday 3rd of July until Friday 11th August and all local children are welcome. There is a nominal fee of 20p.

For further information contact Mary @ 71 365330.

CURRENT PROGRAMMES

Click on any programme heading below for further information.

Health Campaigns
- Investing for Health in Schools
- Smoking Cessation
- Stop Smoking Events
- Women’s, Men’s & Young
- People’s Health MOT Checks
- Mobile Cancer Screening Unit
- Blood Transfusion Service

Physical Health & Fitness
- Beginners Keep Fit
- Tai Bo
- Body Toning
- Men’s Beginners Circuit Training
- Class
- Ju Jitsu
- Exercise Referral Project

Older People
- Monday Club
- MOT Health Checks
- Basic Foot Care Clinic
- Gentle Exercises
- Christmas Dance/Summer
- Gala Ball
- Summer Trip
- Caring for the Carers Pampering

Food Health & Nutrition
- Cook It
- Food For Thought
- Back 2 Basics
- Healthy Eating Workshops
- An Gairdín Glas
- Sunrise Healthy Breakfast Club

Mental Health
- Foyle Tranquiliser Initiative
- ‘The Pink Ladies’ Breast Cancer
   Support Group

Oral Health