In 2017 we trained a huge 555 Health Advocates, creating a total network of well over 2000 in the northern region. This growing network of employee volunteers is made up from workers and reps from all areas of the participating organisations who care about the health and wellbeing of their colleagues and members and make a huge contribution to making their workplace a happier and healthier one.

Last year alone, the Northern TUC was also responsible for training over 500 Mental Health First Aiders in workplaces across the region through the BHAWA for workplaces and trade unions, adding value and ensuring workers’ mental and physical wellbeing is a visible workplace priority. The participating workplaces have also worked extremely hard and done some amazing things in the name of workplace health, from organising car-park boot-camps/ aerobics sessions and virtual Everest climbs, or walks around the world, to establishing workplace slimming clubs/ healthy tuck-shops, and on-site health-checks and free flu immunisations. More than 800,000 points of health contact and information were delivered through the programme last year and this year, we’re hoping to get even closer to the magic million!

Good work is good for you, so please sign up if you haven’t already at www.betterhealthatworkne.org or contact Susanne Nichol snichol@tuc.org.uk – and if you want to become a Health Advocate (it is a fantastic fit for TU Reps/ ULRs) and take some new year motivation and health information on topics including alcohol, smoking, nutrition, physical activity and mental health/ stress into your workplace, department, or team please come and join our TU Reps sessions on January 23rd at our offices in the Unite Building on John Dobson Street.