H milton view Obesity crisis looms large
Dear Editor The news that one in three teenagers are overweight shows that we need to be doing more to encourage children to be physically active if we’re going to protect their health and the future of our health service.
We’re in the middle of an obesity crisis. One in five 14-year-olds is obese. In fact, by the time children leave primary school, one in three are already obese or overweight. It’s not just about eating better, but about moving more.
Medical experts advise that children are active for at least 60 minutes a day to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight but just a fifth achieves this. The walk to school is an easy way for children to add more active minutes to their day and ensures children develop healthy habits for life.
Steve Chambers, Policy and Research Co-ordinator, Living Streets Dear Editor I am writing to let your readers know about Sightsavers ‘A Million Miracle’s’ fundraising campaign that I am supporting.
The campaign aims to fund one million cataract operations that will restore, save and protect people’s sight in some of the poorest parts of the world.
I was lucky enough to visit Madhya Pradesh, India, in July, with the Sightsavers team and see how the campaign and its funding is being put in to action.
I saw adults and children being assessed in health clinics, having cataracts surgery and at home following treatment.
It was an amazing experience to see lives being restored with such simple treatment which comes at such a low cost.
I am asking donors and members of the public to donate to the Sightsavers cataract work and help reach the final miracle. £30 can enable an adult to have a cataract operation and change their life completely.
Money raised from this appeal will be matched by the UK government, pound for pound, until January 9, 2018 so your gift will go even further this Christmas. The matched funding will go towards Sightsavers’ projects in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Melanie Sykes, Ambassador, Sightsavers Dear Editor For many of us the festive season is a time for giving and sharing, loving and caring, and in celebration of Giving Tuesday and the Big Give this month, I’d like to take a moment to tell your readers how in giving a gift to our charity, you’ll be making a real difference.
I work for Revitalise, an incredible national charity that provides respite holidays for disabled people and carers at our three accessible UK holiday centres.
Our respite holiday centres are open to our guests all year round, including over Christmas and the New Year.
As a charity we know that it isn’t just what’s under the tree that matters, it’s who is around it that’s really important.
That’s why we aim to do everything we can to give our guests a respite holiday to remember – from the traditional Christmas dinner, to evening entertainment and exciting excursions – we give our guests the chance to take time away from the stresses of everyday life and to spend time doing what really matters: making memories with those they love.
So in celebration of Giving Tuesday and the Big Give this month, why not pledge to do something amazing for charity? In pledging via the Big Give to Revitalise your donation will be match funded and will make twice the impact. If you would like to find out more about Revitalise or our breaks visit our website: www.revitalise. org.uk. If you would like to support Revitalise via the Big Give visit: https://bit.ly/revbiggive. Thank you.
Stephanie Stone, Revitalise, www.revitalise.org.uk