Music, hula hoops and indoor cricket at Best of Health event

Music making and dance workshops for residents with learning disabilities are being showcased in the third annual Best of Health event this week (Thursday 9 October).

Other activities at this free health event include hula hoop workshops, indoor cricket, making healthy snacks and a ‘hospital area’ where people can meet the learning disability liaison nurses, look at equipment and meet other hospital staff. Council services on show will include  the Park Rangers, Sports Development Team and the Safety in the Community Team. People can also get  vital information from local health services on things like stopping smoking, sexual health, and cancer screening.

The event, which attracted 170 people last year, is aimed at local people with a learning disability and their families and carers.  Best of Health 2014 takes place 10am - 3pm in the Ballroom Suite of the King Alfred Leisure Centre, Hove.

Carousel will be showcasing its ‘Shut up and listen!’ project with some digital music making equipment for people to have a go using headphones as part of a scheme run by artists with learning disabilities.

The Food Partnership and volunteers with learning disabilities will be running workshops to make healthy snacks and the Council’s Park Rangers will be supporting people to make wooden bird boxes to take home.

Brighton & Hove City Council director of public health Tom Scanlon said:

“This is always a fun event. Come along and find out new ways to be healthy.  Have a go at lots of different activities! There will even be gift bags with healthy ‘freebies’ to take home.  How can you resist?”

Local resident Susan Street enjoyed Best of Health last year. She said:

“It’s great. We had fun dancing and playing boccia. There were lots of great stalls with information on all kinds of things like healthy eating and dogs that we all stroked. I had great fun. Anyone with learning disabilities should go along.”