Health & Well-being Day 29 June 2013 – at Oswestry Library
Shropshire Council’s library service is holding a Health & Well-being Day on Saturday 29 June 2013 to celebrate the launch of Oswestry Library Health Zone.
The day will also mark Shropshire’s launch of “Reading Well – Books on Prescription”, a new national scheme.
Reading Well – Books on Prescription is the first national scheme for England, and helps people manage their own health and well-being through recommended self-help books. The scheme provides self-help reading for adults based on cognitive behavioural therapy for a range of common mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, phobias and some eating disorders. Books are available from local libraries on ‘prescription’ which means they have been recommended by GPs or other health professionals.
Books are also available for anyone to read, which means that some people may be borrowing a book without having been prescribed it as a first step in seeking help.
The Health Zone will also include a rolling programme of topical displays provided by partnership working with local health organisations.
Gwilym Butler, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, libraries and culture, said:
“Libraries have a strong role to play in helping people who wish to manage their own health. The library can introduce people to a range of books, information and people that can support them to take a healthy step forward.”
From 11am to 3pm on 29 June there will be a chance to try various health-promoting activities, including:
- Baby signing and baby massage
- Canoeing with Shropshire Paddlesport
- Complementary therapy taster sessions from Time for You
- Extend exercise session for older people
- Yoga and meditation
- Fitness testing
- Walk for health
Other organisations in attendance include:
- Qube
- St John’s Ambulance
- Crossroads Care
- Inspiration Blue
- Breast screening service
- Sure Start
- Plas Ffynnon Practice
- Shropshire deaf and hard of hearing forum
- Help2Quit
Anyone in Shropshire who would like information and advice on living a healthy lifestyle can visit www.healthyshropshire.co.uk or call the Healthy Shropshire helpline on 0345 678 9025. This number has been set up to provide a single point for people to go to for support with improving their health. Advisers can help people looking to find out more about how they can be healthier, and prevent themselves or others from getting ill.
Further information
Reading Well – Books on Prescription
A national Reading Well – Books on Prescription scheme for England delivered by The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians, with funding from Arts Council England. www.readingagency.org.uk/readingwell
The scheme is supported by:
The Royal College of General Practitioners, The Royal College of Nursing, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, The British Psychological Society, the Department of Health’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme (IAPT), the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapies, and Mind.
Reading Well Books on Prescription booklist www.readingagency.org.uk/adults/BoP%20core%20booklist%20v2.pdf
The Reading Agency
The Reading Agency is an independent charity with a mission to give everyone an equal chance in life by helping people become confident and enthusiastic readers. It is funded by the Arts Council, and has a formal partnership with public library services. www.readingagency.org.uk
The Society of Chief Librarians
The Society of Chief Librarians leads the debate on the future of public libraries and advocates for continuous improvement of the public library service on behalf of local people. www.goscl.com.
