Sláintecare Healthy Communities had its inaugural steering group meeting with over 27 members in attendance on Oct 10th, in The Glen Resource centre. Steering group members were presented with models of good practice in the city, covering Healthy Cities, Health Action Zone and Housing First.
The group is co-chaired by Ann Doherty and Gabrielle O’Keeffe, HSE. The co-chairs welcomed the establishment of the new steering group in a legacy of well-established interagency work within the city. The Steering group were also given a tour of the glen community garden, which includes 1 of the 9 enhancement fund projects from the Sláintecare Healthy Community fund, which was a total of €250,000 to be invested in the Sláintecare Healthy community area. The enhancement fund project was the establishment of an awning to provide a safe and healthy space to participate in activities outdoors.
The Health Action Zone project has complimented the enhancement fund project with the installation of movable planter boxes. The Awning Health & wellbeing space was a match funding project delivered by the local authority, Sláintecare Healthy Communities and the HSE, the project costing a total of €50,000 with contributions of €32,185.50 from Sláintecare and of €17,814.50 from the HSE.
The Steering group were also introduced to the new staff complement for Sláintecare Healthy Communities, who are Edel O’Donnell HSE Healthy Communities Coordinator and Tanya O’Sullivan, Cork City Councils Local Development officer.
If there are areas in your area that may benefit from schemes like this, please contact me. Currently all the focus is on the North side.