Cash boost to help surgery health champs
VOLUNTEERS at a GP surgery in Woodley have been given a cash boost to help them improve the health and wellbeing of people in the community.
The Alvanley Family Practice Health Champions formed a year ago following an appeal from the practice manager for volunteers.
A total of 17 patients, all with different skills, stepped forward and have been working together to provide activities for people living in the area.
The group runs a range of regular events including weekly walks, ‘pram pushers’ walks, Singing for Health singalongs and knit and natter get-togethers, and also runs a practice allotment growing vegetables for the community.
Bosses at the Leading Edge Hair salon in Hyde have presented the volunteers with a cheque for £500 raised in a raffle by staff and customers to help them continue their work.
The salon’s co-owner Alan Havery said: “The Health Champions are a unique group who do so much for our local community and customers.
“The work they do is innovative so we were happy to choose them as our charity.”
The Champions’ chairman Dave Chorlton said: “We’re delighted to receive this money. We’ve got projects that we’re keen to start so it will be well spent.
“It’s a testament to how well this is working that not one of the volunteers from 12 months ago has dropped out.
“Everyone brings something different to the group – we’ve got musicians, gardeners, chefs - so each of us has an equally important role to play.
“We help our GP practice tackle unhealthy lifestyles as well as social isolation.
We’ve got several hundred people involved in our events and it’s really having a positive impact on the wellbeing of our community.”
Lists of the events and how to sign up are kept at the practice reception desk, in the waiting room and in each GP’s consulting room.
‘We were happy to choose them as our charity’