Tullamore prepares to transform into 2017 Pfizer Healthy Town

Tullamore has been unveiled as Healthy Town 2017, in a move that which will see a health and wellbeing programme taking place in the town in the months ahead.

During the summer, Pfizer will roll out an online awareness initiative, culminating in a Healthy Town programme in September and October, with free events, information seminars and health checks taking place in Tullamore.

Now in its sixth year, Pfizer Healthy Town is an annual programme that aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of communities around Ireland.

It aligns with theWorld Health Organisation’s Healthy Cities initiative and Healthy Ireland’s Healthy Towns and Counties, and establishes that every town has the potential to be a Healthy Town.

‘Healthy Ireland’, the national framework for action to improve the health and wellbeing of Ireland, supports the programme.

Previous Healthy Towns have included Navan, Athlone, Portlaoise, Wicklow and Kilkenny.

Healthy Town 2017 aims to provide the people of Tullamore with tools and advice to improve their health and wellbeing through free events, health checks and seminars.

It will provide residents of Tullamore with an opportunity to pay more attention to their overall health and wellbeing, while inspiring other residents across Offaly and around Ireland to do likewise.

It calls on everyone to make simple, small changes to benefit their overall health.

The Tullamore Healthy Town 2017 programme of events this autumn will include events along the themes of: ‘My Mind’, ‘My Body’ and ‘My Heart’.

The programme also provides local clubs, groups, and businesses with a platform to highlight all they have to offer to the local community; the ‘Healthy Town Hub’ – an illustrated map of Tullamore which will showcase organisations in Tullamore that offer health and wellbeing-related services.

Organisations will be able to apply online to be included in the map, subject to meeting criteria.

As part of the programme, research was carried out in Tullamore to measure the perceptions of people in the town in relation to health and wellbeing.

Almost three quarters of the people surveyed said that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is very important to them, but only 33 percent said that they felt knowledgeable about health and wellbeing.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State for Health Promotion Marcella Corcoran Kennedy said: 'I am delighted to officially unveil Tullamore as Pfizer Healthy Town 2017.

'Aligned to national policy and the Healthy Ireland programme, Pfizer Healthy Town is an excellent programme to encourage people to make small health and wellbeing changes, which can have a big impact.'

Offaly native and Ambassador for Healthy Town 2017, Neil Delamere said: “I would like to encourage the people of Tullamore, and the wider Offaly community, to make the most of the wealth of clubs, groups, facilities and resources that are at their fingertips in their home town to help boost their health and wellbeing.

'A full list of events is available on the Healthy Town Facebook page – so tell your family, friends and neighbours and be part of it in 2017.”

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Cathaoirleach, Offaly County Council, said “Offaly has a rich sporting heritage – sport has played, and continues to play, a central part in the life of the county. There is a wide range of sporting activities currently on offer in towns and villages across the county, however local people are interested in increasing participation in sport and physical activity so we are delighted that Tullamore has been selected as Pfizer Healthy Town 2017.'

Paul Reid, Managing Director Pfizer Ireland said: “Healthy Town is designed to be an accessible, positive programme and for the past five years, we’ve seen communities around Ireland really embrace the concept.

'From local representatives, to business people and members of the public, people have been keen to get involved and make small steps in relation to improving their health and wellbeing. We conducted some research into the current health and wellbeing of the people of Tullamore, and found that 80 percent of people surveyed exercise regularly – we hope to grow this figure even further with the roll out our Healthy Town programme.'

The programme of events for Healthy Town 2017 will be launched during the summer.

In the meantime, people in Tullamore are encouraged to keep up to date at www.facebook.com/HealthyTownIreland and share updates on social media about their health and wellbeing plans, using the hashtag #MyHealthyTown.