- Area:
- Wales
- Programme:
- Awards for All England
Awards for All Northern Ireland
- Release date:
- 13 2 2007
The Big Lottery Fund has forged a new partnership with health experts to develop a new funding initiative that will spend £7 million on tackling the escalating problem of childhood obesity in Wales.
Childhood obesity has been one of the most worrying health trends in Wales over the last decade, with children larger than ever before. Following high profile campaigns by celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver, people now accept that young people and their families need to take action and get support. The Parliamentary Health Committee report of May 2004 predicted that by 2020, 50% of children could be obese and latest figures also highlight that the overall cost of obesity to the NHS in the UK is currently around £1bn, with a further £2.3bn to £2.6bn for the economy as a whole.
The Big Lottery Fund has developed a funding initiative to try and combat childhood obesity. The Healthy Families programme was unveiled at a special conference in Cardiff earlier this year where an UK expert called for more action to be taken. Harry Macmillan, from the charity MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Diet) used the conference as an opportunity to promote a linked approach to dealing with obesity and being overweight.
Experts in communities, health and regeneration, Hall Aitken, have now been appointed by the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to support applicants to its £7 million ‘Way of Life’ initiative. This is one of the two strands under BIG’s new £20 million Healthy Families programme to be launched. Way of Life will test new ways of promoting healthy eating, activity and play among children under 12 through projects that involve the whole family. The second, ‘Child’s Play’ strand will spend the remaining £13 million on building the play parks and putting in equipment to support the development of children’s play in Wales, and creating new play initiatives.
Hall Aitken will organise a consultation exercise with health and nutrition experts to develop key approaches, or models, that successful applicants will use to deliver the programme. This process has already started and Hall Aitken recently arranged an event at the Angel Hotel, Cardiff, where over 40 health, nutrition, activity and play experts gathered to debate and help develop the models.
Grants ranging between £250,000 and £500,000 will be available for applicants to deliver support to people in their target areas. Hall Aitken will provide extensive support to those who want to apply for funding.
Successful applicants will be supported through a variety of media including workshops, one-to-one advice, regular project visits, cross-project action learning sets, web-based support and a helpline. Funded projects will collect information and data on their activities. Each of the delivery models will be assessed for effectiveness, sustainability and transferability. Working together Hall Aitken and BIG will identify good practice and spread learning across Wales and further afield.
Looking forward to supporting the delivery of the programme, David Gourlay, Hall Aitken Director, said: “When partner organisations get their funds from BIG local communities across Wales can look forward to providing supportive environments in which children and their families can eat well together and play well together, ensuring a healthy population for Wales’ getting help to tackle obesity in children.”
Delighted to welcome Hall Aitken on board, Big Lottery Fund Board member and Chair of the Healthy Families Committee, Huw Vaughan Thomas, said: “I would like to congratulate Hall Aitken on their appointment and we’re looking forward to utilising their expertise to identify gaps in provision and develop new initiatives that will tackle the escalating problem of childhood obesity in Wales.
“Childhood obesity is a major worry facing both families and the government in Wales and our consultation has shown that negative influences on childhood lifestyle are best tackled through an approach that seeks to link physical activity and nutrition. Existing evidence also shows that projects that tackle these issues by involving the whole family are more successful and that’s why the Big Lottery Fund developed the Healthy Families programme.”
Way of Life will be open to applications in early 2007. For further information on the Healthy Families – Way of Life programme please use the search facility on this website.
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 02920 678 207
Out of Hours Contact: 07760 171 431
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
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