10/11/2008
£30m Healthy Towns Kick Start Change4life
Nine towns have won the opportunity to lead the way in helping their residents live healthier lives as part of the new Change4Life movement, Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced today.
The "Healthy Towns" - Dudley, Halifax (Calderdale), Sheffield, Tower Hamlets, Thetford, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Tewkesbury and Portsmouth - are part of a new coalition called Change4Life which is backed by Government, food retailers, charities and community groups.
The nine towns will share a £30 million pot from Government to encourage healthy lifestyles through increasing the opportunities for their population to be more physically active and make healthy food choices. They will help residents to live healthily through a holistic approach to promoting physical activity both in the community and the infrastructure of the town.
The towns, which have been through a rigorous selection progress, will match the Government funding and have set out pledges around how they will encourage healthy living.
Alan Johnson said: "Obesity is the biggest health challenge we face - every year 9,000 people die prematurely and a third of 11 and 12 year olds are overweight.
"For the first time we've given nine areas "Healthy Town" status. This means they must promote healthy living. Each town has come up with innovative ways - such as a loyalty schemes or cycling projects - to help their residents to be more active. "Healthy Towns" is just the start. Our aim is to create a healthy England."
Change4Life marks the start of a lifestyle revolution which aims to help mums, dads and families eat well, move more and live longer. To combat the obesity epidemic we are creating an unprecedented coalition for better health that already spans activists, grassroots organisations, local clubs, councils and community centres.
(JM)
The "Healthy Towns" - Dudley, Halifax (Calderdale), Sheffield, Tower Hamlets, Thetford, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Tewkesbury and Portsmouth - are part of a new coalition called Change4Life which is backed by Government, food retailers, charities and community groups.
The nine towns will share a £30 million pot from Government to encourage healthy lifestyles through increasing the opportunities for their population to be more physically active and make healthy food choices. They will help residents to live healthily through a holistic approach to promoting physical activity both in the community and the infrastructure of the town.
The towns, which have been through a rigorous selection progress, will match the Government funding and have set out pledges around how they will encourage healthy living.
Alan Johnson said: "Obesity is the biggest health challenge we face - every year 9,000 people die prematurely and a third of 11 and 12 year olds are overweight.
"For the first time we've given nine areas "Healthy Town" status. This means they must promote healthy living. Each town has come up with innovative ways - such as a loyalty schemes or cycling projects - to help their residents to be more active. "Healthy Towns" is just the start. Our aim is to create a healthy England."
Change4Life marks the start of a lifestyle revolution which aims to help mums, dads and families eat well, move more and live longer. To combat the obesity epidemic we are creating an unprecedented coalition for better health that already spans activists, grassroots organisations, local clubs, councils and community centres.
(JM)
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