Youngsters do the ‘Healthy Mile’

Students dress up to promote Health Week

Students from Hopwood Hall College have taken part in a fun-packed week of activities promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Learner Participation Officers at the College organised a ‘Health Week’ for students; the purpose of the Health Week, which ran from 18-21 October, was to raise awareness of health issues affecting the students’ lives.

They invited a wide variety of organisations to present workshops and hold stalls at our Health Fairs so that students are receiving the most up to date information about all matters health, including: the NHS Healthy Weight team, the Blood Donation Service, the Youth Service, the local council recycling service and many more.

The Health Week was kicked off with ‘Hopwood’s Healthy Mile’ held at the Middleton campus’ sports ground, in association with vinvolved a national organisation which encourages young people to volunteer.

Students paid £2 to join in this fun fitness event which raises money for two charities Link 4 Life and Agapao International, an organisation which takes volunteers to Africa to help local people gain new skills.

The students raised hundreds of pounds for Agapao which will be spent on mosquito nets for African orphans and a standpipe for a remote village so they can access clean water. This money will dramatically improve the health of the people. Students will receive a certificate from Vinvolved which will show they have participated in a volunteering opportunity.

At the Rochdale campus they held activity day which included fun fitness activities including dance mats, rowing machines and Watt bikes. They also ran mental health awareness seminars for the first time which were well attended by the students.

Health Eating was a major theme of the week and healthy food from around the world was served to students in the Colleges’ own bistros every day. Students were also treated to vouchers for free healthy breakfast.

Lots of competitions, kept the students’ interest, too including;
• Name the fruit & vegetables competition to win an iPod
• A raffle for hamper
• A free student membership to the Sports Arena @ Hopwood Hall College
• Sexual Health “wee for wii” competition

Feedback for the students was very positive and the College plans to run the successful event next year.