Throwing weight behind North East School Awards

Mar 6 2009 by Graeme Whitfield, The Journal

HEALTH bosses have joined the groups backing the North East School Awards in an effort to tackle obesity among youngsters.

The North East Schools Awards – which are run by The Journal, our sister paper on Teesside the Evening Gazette and main sponsors Northumbrian Water – include a healthy living category for projects that demonstrate outstanding practice in improving children’s health and wellbeing.

It is one of 10 categories at the awards, and was last year won by Oakfield Infant School in Low Fell, Gateshead, beating Dinnington First School and Cheviot Primary School, both in Newcastle.

This year, the healthy living award is being sponsored by the North East Strategic Health Authority.

Professor Stephen Singleton, regional director of public health, said: “Obesity is the biggest public health problem facing this country. If we don’t do something about it now, the long-term consequences in both the human cost and added pressure on the NHS hardly bear thinking about.

“If current trends continue, it is estimated that by 2050 a worrying 90% of today’s children will be seriously overweight, putting themselves at risk of major illnesses such as cancer and heart disease and even an early death.

“So it is important to educate youngsters about the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity.

“Levels of obesity are among the highest in the country here in the North East, especially in children. That’s why combating this debilitating condition is one of the priorities in our Better Health, Fairer Health regional strategy launched last year.

“Some schools already embed health in their ethos and policies and have a positive influence on their pupils’ wellbeing. We acknowledge their valuable help in this area.”

Prizes are on offer for schools doing projects in five categories: the Sustainable School Award, the Healthy Living Award, the School Newspaper Award, the Environment Award and the Active Community Award.

The winners of each category will receive a £1,000 bursary towards the winning project, while there will be two prizes of £250 for runners-up in each section.

There will also be gongs for the most inspirational teacher in a primary school, the best teacher in a secondary school, caretaker of the year, school support staff of the year and headteacher of the year. Each winner will get £250 for their school with two runners-up getting £100.

Entry forms for the North East School Awards are being sent to schools but if you know of a deserving person or project, we want to hear about them.

For more information, log on to www.journallive.co.uk/schoolawards or contact event executive Jennifer Cook on (0191) 204-3310 or jennifer.cook@ncj media.co.uk.

The closing date for entries is May 1.