Hundreds join local campaign to get healthier in Telford

A new campaign launched by Telford and Wrekin Council is encouraging people from across the borough to make a commitment to being healthier.

More than 800 local residents have signed up to live a healthier life by joining the
Let’s Get Telford Healthy campaign – each of them are now receiving a series of emails with advice and tips to help them achieve that goal over the course of 12 weeks.

The advice has been put together by the council’s Healthy Lifestyles Team, who are local experts in helping people to live healthier lives by using just small and simple techniques anyone can do.

Jim McGinn, 73, a local resident from Telford and Wrekin met with a Healthy Lifestyles Advisor who helped him to live a heathier life.

Jim, said: “I was given a pre diabetic diagnosis and was prescribed Metformin – at this point I realised that I had a responsibility to my family to take care of myself and needed help to do this.

“My Healthy Lifestyles Advisor pointed me in the right direction and gave me the knowledge and advice reduce the amount of alcohol I drank and to eat better.

“I learnt about the dangers excess body weight and fat bring with them, which is important especially now Coroanvirus has underlined how life-threatening overweight and inactivity can be to me.

“The key was making small changes to build healthy habits – I can now balance special occasions where I will enjoy myself by refocussing myself afterwards. 

“If you join Let’s Get Telford Healthy you can get advice and tips from the same people who helped me in a regular email, and if I can do it anyone can do it." 

Jim is now in remission for his diabetes and has lost over a stone in weight. 

Andy Burford, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Stories like Jim’s are great to hear, and shows how that even at 70 there is a lot we can do to stay healthy.

“Being overweight has shown to increase people’s risk of life threatening complications from Coronavirus – so now is a great time to start living healthier.

“You don’t need strict diets, you don’t need to start climbing the Wrekin every day; the Let’s Get Telford Healthy campaign is about taking small steps together to form healthier habits.

“I’d encourage local residents to join in with this campaign – those that do will receive a series of emails over 12 weeks with advice, tips, videos and interesting stories that will give people the motivation to live healthier.” 

People can join the Let’s Get Telford Healthy movement by signing up with their email.