 Welcome to the June edition of the Healthy Telford newsletter
This June we celebrate National Volunteers Week (3 to 9 June), Men's Health Week (10 to 16 June), and Empathy Day (6 June). In this edition you will find opportunities to get out and about, to lend a helping hand, and to learn skills to benefit the health of you and your family.
So it's time to get yourself a drink and take a few minutes to find out what's happening this month to support your health and wellbeing in Telford and Wrekin.
And don't forget this month's quiz, which looks at how worry might affect your mental and physical health.
 Recognising our volunteers
This National Volunteers' Week (3 to 9 June) we would like to say a massive thank you to both our Telford Health Champions and our Feed the Birds volunteers.
Our Health Champions
Telford Health Champions are a network of 100 volunteers who are residents of Telford & Wrekin. They are people who are passionate about health and wellbeing and want to help others live healthier, happier lives.
Health Champions come from all walks of life and play a key role in sharing health related messages across the borough and making people aware of where and how they can access support.
Over the past year Telford Health Champions have also been working hard to support Telford & Wrekin Council’s Community Blood Pressure Project. They are a key part of this work and have helped to do blood pressure checks for over 700 adults so far!
One Champion, Stephen, who dedicates his time to supporting the Community Blood Pressure Project, has this to say:
“I chose to join Health Champions because I believe health is so important for a long and good life. Both mental health and physical health.
Because of health issues in my family and having recently lost 50 pounds in weight to get my own health back, I felt motivated to help others. Also I am aware that high blood pressure can be a silent killer so I felt the blood pressure events are so valuable. I felt the training would help my own knowledge about how to look after health.
My experience has been brilliant, everyone involved has been so helpful and the advice and training is very good and the coordinating of events has been especially helpful”.
Thank you to Stephen and to all our Health Champions for your time and support, it does not go unnoticed!
Our Feed the Birds volunteers
Feed the Birds volunteers are local residents who dedicate their free time to visiting adults experiencing social isolation and/or loneliness. The volunteers are matched with an individual client or a couple and make weekly visits to top up a bird feeder and have a chat about birds and more.
Over the past year, our Feed the Birds volunteers have visited over 20 adults. Their clients enjoy the visits and frequently share feedback about how much they look forward to them each week. One client recently said:
“You couldn’t have put me with a better person. We got on straight away. We’ve made a nice friendship actually.”
Which sums up the great support that our Feed the Birds volunteers provide!
Thank you Feed the Birds volunteers for the time you give back to your local community. Your clients and Telford & Wrekin Council are very grateful!
 Try your hand at something new
Join Forum 50+ every fortnight from Monday 10 June, 10.30am to 12noon, at Horsehay Village Hall TF4 2NF for Indoor Curling. This activity is easy to do for everyone and there's no need to bend down. So come along! It’s great fun and very sociable with some gentle competition.
No need to book a place, just turn up. Sessions cost £3 each and refreshments are provided.
If you have any questions about this activity, email enquiries@forum50plus.org.uk or call 07932 828333.
 Upcoming volunteer day and workshop
Join Buglife and Telford & Wrekin Council for a volunteer afternoon at Manor Road Pitmound TF4 3EA on Wednesday 19 June, 1pm to 4.30pm. We will be maintaining the heathland habitat by removing regenerating birch and gorse saplings and any invasive species at the site. This maintenance will keep the habitat open, preventing scrub from dominating, providing a range of habitats for lots of different species. Please come along if you can spare an hour or two, learn about the Get the Marches Buzzing Project and stay for a tea and cake break at the end!
Pollinator Identification Workshop
On Wednesday 3 July, 2pm to 4pm at Dawley Town Hall TF4 3JR, Buglife’s B-Lines Officer, Rachel Richards, and Conservation Officer, Emily Hughes will be leading a pollinator identification training workshop. Attendees will also be shown how to carry out Flower-Insect-Timed (FIT) Counts, a quick monitoring method to survey your local green space. FIT Counts are a beginner-friendly surveying method which contribute to a national dataset, analysing changes in pollinator abundance, to help conserve them. This is a great event to find out more about the different pollinators we have in the UK and how to identify them.
To sign up to either event, please contact emily.hughes@buglife.org.uk
The Get the Marches Buzzing Project
These events are part of Buglife’s Get the Marches Buzzing Project. This project is working to restore 63 hectares of wildflower-rich habitat across Shropshire and North Herefordshire, with lots of the work happening in Telford.
If you’d like to know more or get involved then please contact emily.hughes@buglife.org.uk
 Inspiring you to move against cancer
The charity Move Against Cancer invites anyone who is living with or beyond cancer, families, friends and healthcare professionals to join us once a month to walk, jog, run, cheer or volunteer at a 5K Your Way group linked to a local parkrun.
All ages and abilities are welcome. Lots of people will be walking. Do as little or as much as you want, or just come along for a drink and a chat.
Starts Saturday 29 June 8.45am for a 9am start, in Telford Town Park TF3 4HD. Then takes place the last Saturday of every month.
Visit the Move Against Cancer website to register and for more information.
 Are you currently pregnant or have had a baby in the last year?
As part of the Telford & Wrekin Start for Life initiative there are free places available for Telford and Wrekin residents on both Baby First Aid and Accident Prevention courses run by the award-winning Mini First Aid. These classes are delivered in a relaxed and comfortable style to give you the confidence to know what actions to take if faced with a medical emergency.
Classes are taking place across the borough. To find out when the next available class is happening and to book your space, email betterbirths.stw@nhs.net or complete the booking form using the button below.
 A time to take stock...
Men's Health Week is an opportunity to raise awareness around health issues that affect men disproportionately and is a good time to encourage them to do something about any concerns they may have.
The week, 10 to 16 June, is all about empowering men to prioritise their physical and mental wellbeing by promoting the information, services and treatment they need to live happier, healthier, longer and more fulfilling lives.
Are you looking for support to live a healthier life? Or do you know a male friend or family member who's looking for lifestyle advice? The Healthy Lifestyle Service is here to help!
The service can support you to:
- eat better
- drink less
- exercise more
- reduce your weight
- improve your wellbeing
- lower your blood pressure and cholesterol
- reduce risk of developing type 2 diabetes
You can contact the Healthy Lifestyles Service in a number of ways. You can email healthylifestyles@telford.gov.uk, call 01952 382582, or use the button below to contact them via their online form.
 Last week Telford Walk Week offered a range of guided walks for locals and visitors alike to explore the stunning scenery and fascinating features of Telford and Wrekin. Guided walks were held for seasoned hikers and family strollers alike, with something to suit all ages, abilities and interests. The week was full of opportunities for residents and visitors to discover hidden gems, take in breath-taking views plus learn about the history and culture of our beautiful borough, and was enjoyed by hundreds of people.
Opportunities for walking in Telford and Wrekin carry on all year round. No matter where you live, you can take part in walks led by knowledgeable and trained walk leaders who are passionate about sharing their love for walking and for Telford’s green and urban walking routes.
‘Walking for Health - Telford & Wrekin’ are a small voluntary organisation run by volunteers who offer free health walks for the Telford and Wrekin area, and are a partner of Ramblers Wellbeing Walks.
They offer several graded walks throughout the Telford area, with distances, routes and terrain to suit all abilities, including people with mobility issues. Routes always include rest stops and seating areas, with walks always catering for the slowest in the group so no one ever gets left behind. Their programme of walks range from just 30 minutes to 90 minutes, from steady strolls on easy even terrain, to brisk walks up and down steps, down slopes and over uneven ground.
As walking outdoors is so good for us - making us feel good, giving us extra energy, tackling stress and anxiety, increasing heart health, reducing blood pressure and helping us manage our weight - why don’t you join your local walking group?
With at least one guided walk every day from Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays), there are lots of opportunities for you to walk in good company all year round. You can even train to be a walk leader or assistant leader with them too!
Visit the Walking for Health Telford and Wrekin website to find out more.
 Have you been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?
Do you want to learn more about how to manage this condition effectively? The X-PERT diabetes courses can help!
These 6-week courses have proven so popular that this year's dates are fully booked! Taking place in Telford Town Centre at Meeting Point House TF3 4HS the next available dates are in 2025, starting on Wednesday 8 January 2025 1pm to 3.30pm and then continuing for the following five Wednesdays (continuing dates: 15, 22, 29 January, 5 and 12 February 2025).
Courses will also be available in May/June and July/August 2025.
To find out more, or to book your free place, please contact shropcom.xpertdiabetes@nhs.net or call 01743 277696 (an answer phone service is in operation on this line).
 National Empathy Day
EmpathyLab are a social enterprise whose mission is to raise an empathy-educated generation, inspired to create a better world for everyone.
Empathy is being able to experience and understand other people's feelings and points of view. It is a valuable life skill that every child and young person deserves the chance to develop, and that everyone, no matter what their age, can develop.
Empathy Day, on 6 June, is a national event which aims to inspire children, young people and families to flex their empathy superpower and put it into action. It is supported by scientific research that has shown we can all learn to be more empathetic, and that books are a powerful tool for this – when a reader identifies with book characters, they learn to see things from other points of view.
Reading towards empathy
So why not head to your local library this Empathy Day to find a book that puts you in someone else’s shoes? If you’re not sure where to start, EmpathyLab have put together Read for Empathy book lists for 3- to 16-year-olds, or you can take a chance on a recommendation from one of the friendly library staff.
And if you don't fancy carrying a bag of books home with you or don’t have time to visit your library, take a look at the Libby app instead, where you can access a range of eBooks and eAudio books on your phone or tablet.
Visit Telford and Wrekin Libraries for more information about what's available from your local library service.
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Local author book launch
On Saturday 15 June, 1pm to 2.30pm Bryher Mackenzie and Gillian Eilidh O’Mara will be at Southwater Library to launch their book The Night Whale. Bryher will read her book and then provide a short craft activity. Suitable for children 3 to 7 years old.
Places are free but booking is essential.
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Knit and Natter craft group
Southwater Library's Knit and Natter group takes place on Friday 28 June between 11am and 12noon. There's no need to book, just drop in to share your current craft project with fellow enthusiasts and enjoy a cuppa in good company.
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 Plan ahead to quit
Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless poisonous gas which can also be found in car exhaust fumes. Carbon monoxide prevents the blood from carrying as much oxygen around your body, meaning that your organs don't get the oxygen they need, and this in turn can cause strokes and heart attacks.
So why not leave the smoking to the BBQ this summer and quit for good?
Planning ahead can really help:
- Let your family and friends know that you're trying to quit smoking and ask them for support.
- Consider what you will say if you're offered a cigarette so that you're prepared for the question and don't feel overwhelmed.
- Make sure you have plenty of your nicotine replacement therapy products on hand and ensure your e-cigarette/vape is fully charged to use if the temptation strikes.
- Think of what your motivation was to quit and remind yourself of this if you feel tempted.
- And remember to reward yourself by using the money you've saved to book a meal, a special day out, or a holiday.
The Healthy Lifestyles Stop Smoking Service has helped hundreds of smokers to quit in Telford & Wrekin. Why not let them help you?
 Results from the latest Sport England Active Lives Adults Report now in
Sport England have recently released their latest Active Lives Adults Report. This is their survey which measures the number of people aged 16 years and over taking part in sport and physical activity.
The report gives some good news, showing a long-term increase in activity levels, but highlights that more action is needed to tackle inequalities in physical activity in England.
Through the report we can see that two million more adults in England are active regularly compared to 2016, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living pressures. In fact from November 2022 to November 2023 over 60% of the adult population met the guidelines of doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every week.
It also tells us that the number of people classed as inactive - people who do less than 30 minutes physical activity a week - has remained steady at 25.7% of the population (11.9 million people), compared to 25.8% a year ago.
The good news
Other positives in the report are that the number of people taking part in active travel and fitness activities has continued to increase, after seeing a fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Current figures show over a million more adults have walked or cycled for travel and 802,000 more have taken part in fitness activities compared to a year ago.
Plus the number of people swimming are also back to levels seen before the pandemic, with an increase of 400,000 people in the last year, and the number of people playing team sports continues to increase to the highest level seen for six years.
Sport England are currently preparing some data about local levels of activity, so watch this space for an update on how residents of Telford and Wrekin take part in sport and physical activity.
Inequalities continue to have an impact
But the report also shows us that many longstanding inequalities remain a big factor – including a person’s age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic group, whether they have a disability or long-term health condition, and the place they live. These are all still having an impact on how much sport and physical activity a person takes part in. Most significantly women, people from lower socio-economic groups, those who live in deprived areas, and Black and Asian communities are still less likely to be active than other sectors of the community.
Sport England's new Movement Fund
To tackle the inequalities still being found Sport England are continuing to target their investment into places and community groups where it can make the biggest difference. Part of this work is Sport England’s new “Movement Fund” which is designed to make it easier for funding to go where it is most needed.
Visit Sport England's funding and campaigns webpage for coming news of this fund and how to access.
 Does worry affect your health?
Do you find yourself worrying about everything from the state of the world today to the state of your hair in the morning? Find out whether your worries may be taking their toll on your mental and physical wellbeing with this quick quiz.
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