2015 Spring Newsletter

Spring 2014
Carrickfergus Hearty Lives Newsletter
What is Hearty Lives
Hearty Lives Carrickfergus is a partnership between British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northern Ireland,
Carrickfergus Borough Council, Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the Public Health Agency. We
want to help you stay healthy by improving the heart health of your local community.
Through its Hearty Lives Carrickfergus project, BHF Northern Ireland are investing more than £230,000 over a
three year period in Carrickfergus, Whitehead and Greenisland communities to develop new and more
effective ways of helping women and their families maintain a healthy weight.
In This Issue
Why Carrickfergus

1 in 5 children in Carrickfergus are overweight by the time they
reach 5 years of age.

1 in 20 children in Carrickfergus are classed as very overweight.

Cardiovascular Disease is the main cause of death in Carrickfergus
Borough.

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Two wards within the Borough have female life expectancy rates
consistently below the Northern Ireland average.

What is Hearty
Lives?

News from recent
events

Upcoming events
update

Meet your local
team
Working in partnership, Hearty Lives Carrickfergus aims to:

Develop programmes to reduce obesity in women of child-bearing age.

Help women achieve and maintain a healthy weight before, during, and after pregnancy.

Co-ordinate and develop key skills programmes for families with young children (0-4 years old) to
prevent obesity and reduce the risk of cardio-vascular disease.
Community Events
Hearty Lives Carrickfergus has carried out many activities in the community over the three strands of the
programme in partnership with other key stakeholders. The following are just a few examples.
Grow It
Hearty Lives Carrickfergus teamed up with Carrickfergus
Borough Council’s Parks and Countryside Division and
Larne Lough Nurseries to promote the positive impact of
home-grown vegetables on heart health. Local women
from the Carrickfergus area were treated to an
interactive demonstration by Maureen Hanvey from
Larne Lough Nuseries in early June.
There are so many benefits to growing your own
vegetables and it is also a great way to save on your
grocery bill. Hearty Lives Carrickfergus has high hopes
that this will be the start of a long line of home-growers
and that this type of project, combined with future
Local women pictured with members of the Hearty Lives team and
Larne Lough Nurseries.
Hearty Lives interventions in the community will help provide local people with the information necessary to start
looking after their hearts.
Playday
To celebrate “Playday”, children and young people are encouraged
to get outside and and play at hundreds of community events across
the UK.
In Carrickfergus, the Hearty Lives Carrickfergus team got involved
too, offering obesity and heart health advice. The team provided
families with general healthy eating, physical activity, and further
lifestyle advice. Both children and adults enjoyed taking part in our
“Playday Quiz”, testing their knowledge on exercise.
Members of the Hearty Lives team pictured with
young people enjoying the national “Playday”.
Family Fun Day (SureStart)
As a result of a close working relationship with Sunnylands
SureStart, Healthy Lives Carrickfergus offered obesity and heart
health advice within the community. The Hearty Lives Coordinator, Midwife, and Paediatric Dietitian engaged with young
families and provided screening in the form of height, weight,
and BMI checks. This activity was supported by additional
general healthy eating, physical activity, and other lifestyle
advice. There was positive feedback from the families, both
about the event and the resources provided.
Members of the Hearty Lives team pictured at Sunnylands
SureStart.
Allotment and Community Family Fun Day
Hearty Lives Carrickfergus assisted the Carrickfergus Borough
Council’s Parks and Countryside Division in a local allotment and
community family fun day. Families from the local community
enjoyed the many activities that were provided, including home
cooking demonstrations and growing food in the allotments.
Hearty Lives Carrickfergus provided a well-resourced stand with
interactive resources, advice and guidance for all age groups on
Members of the Hearty Lives team pictured with
young people enjoying the national “Playday”.
cardiovascular disease and obesity. People of all ages were able to
see the benefits of the allotment scheme and how such initiatives
can help prevent cardiovascular disease and obesity individually, within family groups and local communities.
Healthy Heart—Healthy Community
“Healthy Heart—Healthy Community” was an event held in Carrickfergus Amphitheatre, bringing together
stakeholders, interested parties, and colleagues from across Northern Ireland to reflect on Hearty Lives
Carrickfergus’ progress so far. The event was interactive and a number of users gave accounts of their experiences
of the Hearty Lives project and how this has helped them so far.
There was positive feedback from the attendees about the event and the project in general. A number of
interactive resources were showcased during the event and the local communities were encouraged to make use
of the resources in any way they would find beneficial.
Michael Owen (PHA), Florence Hand (NHSCT), Alderman Charles
Johnston (Mayor of Carrickfergus), Jane Turnbull (Hearty
Lives) , Stephanie Leckey (BHF, Northern Ireland).
Pat Cusick, Claire Ramsay, Mary Maxwell, Alderman Charles
Johnston (Mayor of Carrickfergus), Ann Doherty, Emma Newell,
Stephanie Leckey (BHF Northern Ireland).
Upcoming Events






Ante-natal exercise classes—every Wednesday in Carrickfergus Amphitheatre (7.30—8.30pm)
Post-natal exercise classes—every Wednesday in Carrickfergus Amphitheatre (6.30—7.30pm)
“Cook It!” - 6 weekly classes starting on 16th February 2015
“Raising the Issue” training—26th February and 5th March 2015
Healthy Hearts in the Classroom—10th March 2015
Slow Cooker Class—12th March 2015
Please contact your Hearty Lives team for further details on these upcoming events.
Meet the Team
The team is based in the Carrickfergus Borough Council offices in the Museum and Civic Centre. Your Hearty
Lives Team is dedicated to providing a quality service in your local area.
Ann, Hearty Lives Co-ordinator
I am Ann Doherty. I joined the team at Hearty Lives Carrickfergus in 2012 as the Hearty Lives Coordinator. My background is in nursing, midwifery and public health nursing .I am interested in community development and enjoy working with families and the wider community.
I am keen to hear ideas from parents and others who work and live within the borough to support
families more effectively to make appropriate choices regarding the families’ health and wellbeing.
Claire, Hearty Lives Paediatric Dietitian
My name is Claire Ramsey and I am the Hearty Lives Paediatric Dietitian. I worked in North Yorkshire for over 10 years as a registered dietitian before returning to Northern Ireland this year and
taking up my current role in the Hearty Lives team. I have a number of hobbies, in particular, I love
to cook for friends and family and I am also hoping to start growing some of my own vegetables
very soon.
Pat, Specialist Obesity Dietitian
I am Pat Cusick and I am a Specialist Obesity Dietitian in the NHSCT. I work on the Hearty Lives Carrickfergus Project, along with the Trust Midwife. My primary objective is to provide advice and guidance to pregnant women to help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight before, during, and
after pregnancy.
Mary, Hearty Lives Midwife
I am Mary Maxwell. I joined the team in November 2013 as Hearty Lives Midwife. My background is
in nursing, midwifery and health care with a special interest in Public Health. I enjoy being part of a
team and supporting families to lead a full and happy healthy life.
Emma, Hearty Lives Project Support Officer
My name is Emma Newell and I provide project support for the Hearty Lives team. If you need any
further information on the Hearty Lives project or wish to find out a bit more about the resources
we have, do not hesitate to contact me.
Contact Hearty Lives Carrickfergus
Hearty Lives, Carrickfergus,
Carrickfergus Borough Council
Museum and Civic Centre
Antrim Street,
Carrickfergus,
BT38 7DG.
Telephone:
Email:
Web:
028 9335 8000
[email protected]
www.bhf.org.uk/heartylives