Greater Western Area Health Service were highly commended in the inaugural Weight Watchers Community of the Year awards.
In a tremendous testament to the power of community, local Canowindra health workers saw a need in their area and took action by creating and delivering a special program to combat obesity, unifying 135 people to embrace a healthier lifestyle, and earning them a Highly Commended award at the Weight Watchers Healthy Life Awards.
The Better Life Canowindra program provided local residents with the knowledge and support to increase their health and fitness by thinking about foods and exercise.
Staff from the Greater Western Area Health Service were supported by the local Masonic Lodge in implementing Better Life Canowindra health
initiatives.
Community meetings and training sessions are held every week to support and embrace all areas of healthy living, bringing together locals ranging from 20 to 80 years in age.
To date, participants have lost over 252 kilograms on the Better Life Canowindra program.
Julie Middleton from the Greater Western Area Health Service said they were absolutely delighted to receive a highly commended placing in the Weight Watchers Community of the Year category.
“Better Life Canowindra recognises the challenges surrounding the issues of weight management and fitness.
It’s an all-consuming project, that touches hundreds of people in our
community, so to receive a national award is an amazing acknowledgement of the hard work of the many involved,” Julie said.
Highly commended in the Weight Watchers Healthy Life Awards Community of the Year category, include: the ‘Cook it, Eat it, Love it’ initiative by the Maitland Campus of TAFE NSW and the Better Life Canowindra Fitness and Nutrition challenge by Greater Western Area Health Service, while the New England Division of General Practice were awarded the overall Community of the Year award.
Weight Watchers Australasia Managing Director Joseph Saad said the work of the Greater Western Area Health Service to deliver the Better Life Canowindra program is a remarkable achievement and very deserving of a national award.
“It is vital that we approach issues of weight and obesity holistically, as a whole community with experienced support teams working to ensure sustainable outcomes.
We are proud to recognise the
significant contribution made by the Better Life Canowindra program to the many people across the community who are now benefiting from healthier lives,” Mr Saad said.
The announcement was made at a gala event on Wednesday night, by Healthy Life Awards Ambassadors Channel Seven’s Tom Williams, and former Olympian and Weight Watchers member Melinda Gainsford-Taylor.
As a Platinum Partner of the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), Weight Watchers donated $1 for every kilogram lost by this year’s entrants to breast cancer research.
This year with Healthy Life Awards entrants lost a combined total of more than ten tones, with over $10,000 raised for the NBCF.
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