A new website is helping Cork communities to engage in wellness activities.

Celebrating 20 years of health action

A new website was launched this morning to mark 20 years of community health work across Cork city and county.

The website, healthactionzone.ie, was launched by Cork Kerry Community Healthcare and the Health Action Zone Initiative to celebrate 2 decades of collaboration with community partners and supporters at The Glen Resource and Sports Centre.

The new website provides information on how communities and professionals can find or signpost people to a range of community health and wellness activities, programmes and groups across Cork city and county.

One of the founders of the Health Action Zone, Social Inclusion Specialist CKCH HSE, Rebecca Loughry commented: “The importance of the Health Action Zone projects and Community Health Workers can’t be underestimated, and we now have a range of evidence to support the successes of the health projects with 20 years of community health work we can be very proud of and many more years to come.”

The Health Action Zone areas and Community Health Projects each have a dedicated Community Health Worker who work to support and promote the development of sustainable health projects within communities.

Speaking at the launch of the website, Sorcha Ni Chrualaoich, Cork North Community Work Department Principal Community Worker, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, said: “Community health across Health Action Zone areas on Cork’s Northside is particularly strong, flexible and focused on what the local community health needs are using the local steering group structure where local services, health professionals and local people are represented, ensuring the voice of the community is communicated clearly across all the programmes, activities and events of each health project.”

Bernard Twomey, Community Health Worker in The Glen, added: “This next phase of Community Health work in Health Action Zone Projects and Community Health Projects will be continued closely with a range of health professionals across Community Healthcare Networks.”

For more information on community health and wellness activities, visit healthactionzone.ie.