Five new Healthy Lifestyle Advisors have recently been recruited by the council’s Public Health team, partly funded by Pier Health PCN.
They are on hand to provide 12 weeks of free support to help people form healthier habits and reach healthy lifestyle goals, as part of the council’s ongoing commitment to improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.
Residents are being offered tailored support to get active, eat well, lose weight and stop smoking. Guidance provided to residents is personalised and follows evidence and best practice guidance from official health bodies.
The 12-week support is client-focused, non-judgmental and free. It can be given in a one-to-one or group setting, face to face at the Town Hall, over the phone or via video call. It is available to anyone who is aged 18 and over, and who lives in Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding villages.
Residents in those areas can request support by completing the simple online health MOT available on the Better Health North Somerset website at www.betterhealthns.co.uk. Practitioners supporting local residents can also refer people for support via the practitioner page at www.betterhealthns.co.uk/practitioners. More than 400 people have already completed a health MOT since the website went live in the summer.
The five new recruits join an existing team who already offer heathy lifestyle support to people across North Somerset. More information about the help available can be found on the Better Health North Somerset website which is full of advice, tips and real stories from other North Somerset residents who have been supported by the team.
Cllr Mike Bell, Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council and executive member with responsibility for health, said: “We’re a council that cares and wants to empower people and communities to live healthy, happy lives. Our Healthy Lifestyle Advisors play a vital role in supporting people to make healthy choices and form new habits to improve both physical and mental health.
“I’m delighted that with this part funding from Pier Health Primary Care Network, the team of advisors has grown and will be able to offer 12 weeks of free, tailored support to people living in and around Weston. This is such an important service, particularly at a time when cost of living is increasing, and people may be worried about how they can afford to live more healthily.
“This support is free, it’s personalised and it’s there for you to use, so please visit the Better Health North Somerset website or get in touch with the team and find out how they can help you.”
For help and support to lead a healthier lifestyle go to www.betterhealthns.co.uk People can also contact the Healthy Lifestyles team for support by calling 01934 427 661 or emailing healthylifestyles@n-somerset.gov.uk.
The photograph shows Carmen, a Healthy Lifestyle Advisor who’s been helping North Somerset residents live healthier lifestyles for six years, welcoming the newest recruits who’ll be working in and around Weston. From left to right Aleks, Naomi, James, Carmen, Alexis and Lucilla.
