29/06/04 - Cumbria Healthy Schools awards evening

At 7pm on Thursday 1 July at Rheged Discovery Centre, Penrith, Mark Robinson, General Manager of the Cumberland Building Society, will present the Healthy School Award to 15 schools in Cumbria. The schools receiving awards come from right across the county and represent a wide range of communities. This will bring the total number of accredited schools in Cumbria to 111.    

Cumbria County Council works in partnership with the Primary Care Trusts in North Cumbria and Morecambe Bay in developing health initiatives in schools. Guests attending the ceremony include, John Harwood, Interim Chief Executive for Cumbria County Council, Victoria Ashfield, Cumbria County Council's Corporate Director - Education, Leigh Griffin, Chief Executive of Morecambe Bay PCT and Nigel Woodcock, Chief Executive of North Cumbria PCTs. Cumberland Building Society branch managers across the county have also been invited to attend.    

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says   

"I   am pleased that again, so many schools have achieved this award. 111 schools countywide is a wonderful achievement and recognises the commitment of not only the schools themselves but of the Cumbria Healthy School Team. The health needs of the young people in Cumbria is important. To be able to develop a wide range of health initiatives and also recognise schools' achievements with so many awards is a major achievement for this County."   Alan James, Manager of Cumbria Healthy Schools says   

"We are delighted that the Cumberland Building Society is sponsoring this event for the first time and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship."    

Mark Robinson, General Manager of Cumberland Building Society says   

"The Society is delighted to be given the opportunity to sponsor the awards evening. We are keen to support local education and community initiatives. We feel it is important, as the largest county based building society, to put something extra back into the communities we serve."   

The Cumbria Healthy Schools Team is supporting over 200 schools in the county to develop health related activities including personal, social and health education, sex and relationships, drugs education and emotional health and well-being. Many schools have also looked at food and balanced eating, citizenship, safer routes to school, physical activity and school councils.   

For further information on the work of Cumbria Healthy Schools and this event please contact Claire Stephens at Kendal Education Office on 01539 773502. Mark Robinson can also be contacted on 01228 403108.