Blacktown City Council Media Release - Free Workshops To Make Healthy Normal

MEDIA RELEASE

22 June 2017

Blacktown City’s library goers are being encouraged to ‘Make Healthy Normal’ at free health workshops at Blacktown City Libraries this July.

The innovative program is a partnership between Blacktown City Council and Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) designed to spread the ‘Make Healthy Normal’ campaign message.

The workshops cover a broad range of subjects including diabetes and obesity awareness (in several languages), healthy eating and how to stop smoking.

“Unfortunately, we live in an environment where it is too easy to be unhealthy,” Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali said.

“We want to make healthy normal,” he said, “because more than half the people in Western Sydney are overweight or obese.

“But it’s never too late to make a change and small changes can make a big difference.

“That’s why we are partnering with the local health district to ensure our residents have all the tools they need to make healthy normal again.”

The free workshops are part of the Make Healthy Normal Campaign, a NSW Government initiative that includes a fruit and veg sense class with tips to entice fussy eaters.

“My baby is very fussy, so it can be challenging,” she said.

“I just try and make sure he has a healthy diet with foods like meat, dairy and protein.”

The campaign includes free health talks and personal telephone health coaches at Western Sydney libraries.

WSLHD Centre for Population Health deputy director Christine Newman said library visitors would be encouraged to sign up to the free healthy coaching service before sitting down with a new novel.

“Libraries are an important community hub and resource to reach the local community - we’re expecting about 370,000 people to come through their doors in July alone,” she said.

Full details about the sessions can be found at www.libraries.blacktown.nsw.gov.au

“We’re delighted to be partnering with these libraries to help reach members of the community regarding Make Healthy Normal services, like the Get Healthy telephone coaching, that might help them,” Ms Newman said.

Follow the link for high resolution photos of the images below:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ultjzhms894be4u/AAC6QbztWYBcnMNXbuhJ3Snua?dl=0

Blacktown City Manager of Library

Services Laurence McDonnell, Siddhant

Modi, 2 years, Siddhi Modi, and Melissa

O’Neill, Centre for Population Health

(WSLHD).

Belinda Duckworth from NSW Health, Blacktown City Manager of Library Services Laurence McDonnell and Melissa O’Neill from the Centre for Population Health (WSLHD).