New initiative aims to improve health and wellbeing in Hawick

A NEW project has been launched to improve health and wellbeing in the Hawick area by getting people to consider their lifestyles and learn what they can do for themselves to nurture their health.

Healthy Hawick is a joint initiative between the schools in Hawick, Scottish Borders Council (SBC), NHS Borders, Live Borders and other local organisations and charities. It aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people who live in the area.

The project is part of the work of the Teviot and Liddesdale Learning Community Partnership and will promote the learning opportunities that people in Hawick can access that can help them to look after their own health and wellbeing and those around them. Healthy Hawick brings the work of local organisations under one umbrella and will focus on different themes. The first theme is ‘Nurture’ and a newsletter is being published to promote local activity and encourage people to nurture themselves and those they care for.

Councillor Carol Hamilton, SBC’s Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “Health and wellbeing is one of the key priorities identified by the Learning Community Partnership. We know that there is already a great deal taking place in Hawick to support people’s health and wellbeing but Healthy Hawick is an opportunity for everyone to work together and make sure that people can access the wide range of advice and support that is available.

“A particular focus of Healthy Hawick is working with Hawick High to support our young people to make positive choices about their lifestyles as those choices can have a real impact on their health and wellbeing in the future. The project is also keen to reach out to parents and the wider community of Hawick to support our young people and help to nurture them so that they develop a healthy mindset and go on to become healthy adults who enjoy greater life chances.”

Allyson McCollam, Associate Director of Public Health for the Borders said “I would really encourage people to engage with learning more about what they can do to look after their health and wellbeing and that of those around them.

“Many of the illnesses we suffer from are preventable and it’s really important that we do what we can to eat healthily, be active and find ways to manage stress. It’s particularly important for Early Years and to nurture our children and young people, but it’s never too late to start developing a healthy mindset. 

“It is great to see this new ‘Healthy Hawick’ initiative offer many opportunities to learn about health and wellbeing, and to see so many partner organisations getting behind it.”

To find out more about ‘Healthy Hawick’, email: health.improvement@borders.scot.nhs.uk or come along to the Pop-up Shop open on the High Street on 5, 6 and 7 February. Staff from SBC’s Community Learning and Development team, Live Borders, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, MacMillan Move More, NHS Borders Healthy Living Network, Screening and Lifestyle Advice teams will be available at various times over the three days. Similarly, if you are an organisation that wants to contribute to Healthy Hawick then get in touch.