A NORTH Belfast community health programme is set to re-brand to mark its 20th anniversary.
New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has been providing community health programmes to communities across North Belfast since 2003.
The Management Team recently hosted an event at the Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts were over 50 colleagues, funders, partners, and friends joined the organisation to explore their journey to date and hopes for the future.
The re-brand has seen the emergence of Reach Out Healthy Living Centre.
Reach Out is one of eight Healthy Living Centres situated in each area of Belfast and one of 29 members of the Healthy Living Centre Alliance. Healthy Living Centres translate high level policy into practical community initiatives.
As the holder of the SAFEFOOD Community Food Initiative 2022-24 for the Belfast Trust area, nutrition for families with young children is a key focus. Nutrition and physical activity are the foundation stones on which Reach Out HLC builds positive emotional health and wellbeing.
Speaking at the event Fiona Molloy from the Management Team said: “It’s a great pleasure to unveil our new branding, Reach Out Healthy Living Centre will continue our legacy focusing on community health and wellbeing.
"Acting as an interface between services and needs, Reach Out finds and provides answers to difficult questions.
"The relationship between service provider and service use is not simply transactional or dispassionate. It is committed and supportive. We take sides – the side where the need is.
"Moving forward the hopes and aspirations of Reach Out HLC are firmly fixed in addressing the presenting needs of the local communities.
"Through partnership and collaborative work with local, citywide and regional stakeholders alongside our community-based health programme complement.
"This is important as North Belfast contains 31 per cent of the top Super Output Areas which when accompanied by low levels of Health Literacy and the impact of Covid sees increasing needs across all sectors but particularly within health.
"Reach Out HLC aims in its next 20 years of service to the communities of North Belfast to assist people in taking control of their own health through improved understanding of their health needs.”
