Walk marks end of South Shields Change4Life campaign

The Mayor, Coun Richard Porthouse, with competition winner Jacqui Whitelaw (back), Lynn McClelland, Coun Moira Smith and Jordan Hopper.

The walk, which was led by Friends of the North and South Marine Parks, was part of a celebration event held at Haven Point Leisure Centre, South Shields, to recognise the wellbeing service Change4Life South Tyneside, and mark Everybody Active North East, which South Tyneside Council hosted last month.

The council worked with local partners to offer free taster sessions throughout March, ranging from Zumba, yoga, Pilates, steps as well as healthy walks and cycle rides to encourage inactive people to take up exercise as part of Everybody Active North East, a collaborative project between all twelve North East councils and Public Health England (PHE) North East, which aims to increase levels of physical activity in adults, by showcasing a different physical activity in a different part of the region each month.

The Mayor of South Tyneside, Councillor Richard Porthouse, attended the event along with community and voluntary groups, local people and council teams who took part in the month-long initiative.

He said: “It was very encouraging to see so many people supporting the Change4Life celebration event and taking part in the walk.

“I’m sure they were as impressed as I was at the work that the Change4Life team has undertaken over the past year since it was introduced.

“South Tyneside faces many health challenges, including a higher than average number of children who are very overweight.

“Only by working together and embedding public health right across all parts of the council can we give our children the best start in life and support families to take small steps so they can live healthier and happier lives. This is what Change4Life South Tyneside is all about.”

Local people who took part in the taster sessions were entered into a prize draw and the Mayor presented the winners with their prizes at the event, which included an annual membership to take part in physical activity at any of the council leisure centres.

For more information on the programme, call 0191 424 7300 or visit www.change4lifesouthtyneside.co.uk