re:fresh wins community partnership award

The unique £6m re:fresh scheme picked up the Sporting Communities award event held earlier this month.

A unique partnership between the NHS and the Council, the re:fresh scheme aims to reduce health inequalities across Blackburn with Darwen and tackle low physical activity levels of people in the borough. This followed a report released in early 2008 which revealed shocking health statistics of local people.

Since re:fresh was launched in July 2008 over 78,000 people over the age of 16 who live, work, are educated or have a GP in Blackburn or Darwen have signed up to take part in the scheme. This has translated into an overall increase in activity levels in Blackburn with Darwen as the Sport England Active People Survey of 2008/2009 revealed that Blackburn with Darwen has risen by two places since the last survey in 2005/2006.

All activities under the re:fresh scheme are free for people who sign up for a beeZ card, which is also free.

The scheme has seen the Council and the NHS work closely together to provide free leisure and support at a local level and introduce extra health trainers along with life long learning courses and healthy community partnerships to raise awareness of what is on offer to help people make healthier lifestyle choices.

Chair of NHS Blackburn with Darwen, Nick Kennedy said: “We are really proud to see the re:fresh initiative recognised at this national level. We realised that working in partnership was the only way to maximise the impact on the health and wellbeing of local people. This led to us being the first borough in the country to offer this type of support for exercise and physical activity. Now the activity levels in the borough are rising as a direct result of re:fresh, and this proves that partnership working can lead to great results for the people of Blackburn with Darwen.”

Councillor Michael Law-Riding, executive member for leisure and culture for Blackburn with Darwen Council added: “This is brilliant news for everyone in the borough. The hard work that’s being done in the community has been recognised by this prestigious award. However, we are not complacent, there is still much to do to make sure the health inequalities of the people of our borough become a thing of the past.”

For more information on The Community Partnerships Awards go to www.communitypartnershipsawards.co.uk