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Obesity trainer for kids

Sue Carr
21/11/2007

A PERSONAL health trainer is being brought into schools to help combat the growing problem of obesity.

Their job will involve working one-to-one with pupils, advising teachers on health issues and setting up initiatives such as classes to teach parents about nutrition.

The post is for Droylsden School for Girls, Littlemoss School and Greenside Primary and run alongside Tameside and Glossop primary care trust.

Pilot

Gail Nicholson, head at Droylsden School, said: "What we are doing is running this as a pilot to see how effective it is.

"It’s one of the things I have always wanted to do in school. For me it’s about creating a caring ethos and it’s about changing people’s habits.

"Our kitchen recently won an award for providing healthy options, we are just starting our healthy schools team, and it’s building on that.

"The students think it’s terrific because they know it’s about us caring for them."

John Rogers, head teacher at Greenside primary, said health and nutrition was an area identified by all three schools as needing attention. It’s about three schools working together with Tameside and Glossop PCT. We already work with Albion clinic with extended services from our school, we have the school nurse and speech and language therapy, so this really is just a big step up in that inter agency work and serving the community."

Mark McLoughlin, headteacher at Littlemoss, said that if the project proved successful within the schools it could be opened up to the whole community

He said: "I think it’s an exciting area to move into and I think it could be beneficial to the whole community."

The trainer will be paid between £16,000-£20,000.

Applicants must have a ‘sound understanding of health risk factors, be a good role model and be enthusiastic about working with staff and young people to promote healthy lifestyles’.