Calderdale project appeals for votes
A local health service is calling on people in Calderdale to show their support by voting for them in the National Lottery Awards 2011, which recognise the difference Lottery-funded projects- both big and small- make to local communities.
The Yorkshire-based Altogether Better is one of just ten projects to make it through to the semi-finals in the ‘Best Health Project’ category. After being shortlisted from more than 800 applicants across the country, the project now needs local votes to ensure its place in the grand final and be in with a chance of scooping a £2,000 cash prize.
The Altogether Better programme is made up of 16 local projects that recruit, train and support community and workplace ‘Community Health Champions’ across Yorkshire and the Humber.
One of these local projects is the Calderdale Community Health Champions, which is provided by the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The project recruits volunteers aged 16 and over from North Halifax and Park Wards, and provides them with training and practical skills in the areas of healthy eating, physical activity and mental wellbeing.
The Health Champions use their knowledge and skills to encourage and support their peers, friends and families to make changes to lead healthier lifestyles.
This grass roots approach ensures that people in the deprived areas of Calderdale are receiving support and advice on how to eat healthily and become more active.
Marie Conway, who manages the project in Calderdale, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be part of a nomination that has reached the semi-finals of The National Lottery Awards. Our team works hard to benefit the community and our health champions have been doing a great job of spreading positive messages about health.”
Voting is now underway and people in the region are being urged to cast a vote to help the project make it through to the final.
Register your vote for free at www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards or call 0844 836 9700. Calls will cost no more than 5p from a BT landline. Voting ends at midday on Monday 20 June
Once voting has closed, the three projects with the most votes will go through to the final round, where votes will be reset to zero before final voting opens on Monday 5 September.
The winning project will be announced in early November as part of a star-studded television programme.