Breast screening awareness event for Sainsbury’s

Staff who work at Sainsbury’s in Halifax have taken part in a breast screening awareness event run in partnership with the local NHS health improvement service and Pennine Breast Screening.

The health improvement service, which is provided by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, supports businesses to develop and promote a workplace health programme that encourages and assists colleagues to look after their health.

The programme promotes all health and wellbeing and covers topics such as healthy weight, emotional wellbeing and breast screening awareness.

The event held on Wednesday 25th May at Sainsbury’s aimed to promote breast screening and breast awareness amongst colleagues, whilst offering a fun filled night with an opportunity to raise money for charity.

A special talk was given by health promotion specialist Lynne Clark of Pennine Breast Screening and the Trust’s health improvement practitioner Nicola Webster spoke about becoming a workplace health champion. A cookery demonstration was also offered by Sainsbury’s community cook team.

As a member of the workplace health programme staff at Sainsbury’s in Halifax have already undertaken a healthy weight programme where they could access an onsite healthy weight clinic and an emotional wellbeing course.

Speaking about this latest event Nicola Webster said, "Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, but the good news is that if caught early enough most breast cancers can be treated successfully. Having regular NHS breast screening is a vital part of the fight against breast cancer as we can identify it at an earlier stage. We hope this event in Halifax raised awareness among Sainsbury’s staff and encourages them to look out for the signs."

Pam Dyson, Sainsbury’s Halifax HR manager added, "The event was a great opportunity to combine our expert food knowledge with the NHS teams to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace."

Other organisations involved in the workplace health programme include Nestle, The Ark, Calderdale Council and Marshalls.

To find out more about the workplace health programme and how it could help Halifax businesses contact Nicola Webster on 01422 281562