PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Local healthcare workers have taken big steps in boosting health and safety in Plett and their efforts paid off recently when a group of wellness staff were recognised as part of the Western Cape on Wellness (WoW!) initiative.
WoW! is a healthy lifestyles-promoting partnership programme of the Western Cape government and its partners.
The overarching purpose of WoW! is to promote health, reduce health inequalities and strengthen social inclusiveness or connectedness by co-creating enabling environments for sustained healthy lifestyle choices.
The programme was implemented in 2017 and wellness champions were identified and trained to promote wellness within their facilities and communities.
Wowing all from Kwano
Thamsanqa Happiness Magwebu, Masixole Blouw and Nonkoliso Zandile from the Kwanokuhtula clinic in Plettenberg Bay excelled in this task and received a bronze award for their efforts.
The KwaNokuthula WoW! Wellness Club started by introducing exercise sessions for staff. Fitness instructors regularly visited the clinic during lunch time for all to participate in aerobic exercise.
The club also started the Adolescent Youth Friendly Services (AYFS) group and Safe Play Streets initiative which included many activities within communities to include children.
Efforts further afield
A number of health staff from across the Garden Route received recognition during an award ceremony in Cape Town recently for promoting wellness within their communities as part of the initiative.
The Restore
Total Wellness initiative by Hessequa workers Dina-Marie Dwyer and Chanel Louw was also recognised. Their projects included funding and distributing gifts for Nurses Day 2021, running a healthy lifestyle competition and starting a food garden.
Their main focus however is the emotional and mental wellness of staff. They've established an on-site wellness clinic via the Employee Health and Wellness Programme for staff to be able to attend sessions. The duo was awarded a silver award.
Riversdale's Jolly Gymmers and its champion Chanel Louw also received a silver award. Consisting of 26 members, the group focuses on physical activities like exercise sessions three times per week and participate in community events like fun walks and other events.
They also participate in continuous healthy eating/lifestyle challenges as motivation and encouragement to live healthy.
Another silver award went to the Bridgeton Elderly Wow! Group which includes its champions Eshida May and Mariam Darries. The group was established three years ago.
Darries is the coordinator for the Elderly Crime Prevention Desk.
In conjunction with police and other role players, the elderly meet once a week.
Different activities are enjoyed such as needlework, knitting, food and gardening.
Reaching out to other elderly people is done daily and largely focuses on abuse, negligence in the care of the elderly as well as the exploitation of Sassa grants. This club offers support to the elderly as well as meals twice a week.
The gold award went to the Swartberg Senior Club in Dysselsdorp. This team also won the innovation award.
WoW! Champions Caria Booysen, Brigette Dysel and Christa Harmse started the club in 2018 as a programme designed to support the seniors group at Swartberg in Dysselsdorp through activities including healthy eating, exercise, food gardening, a sugar challenge campaign and a salt reduction campaign.
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