Health and Wellbeing in the community

People needing to lower their blood pressure or wanting to know the difference between good and bad carbohydrates can now seek help at their local library.

Leicestershire library services are running a pilot scheme with NHS Community Health Services at Coalville, Melton and Oadby libraries which will support Health & Wellbeing services in the community.
In those libraries you will find:

Extra books and DVDs
Staff trained to help you find health information
Links to healthy activities and local groups
Health checks
Skilled for Health courses
NHS Choose and Book service
Special events
Feel-good fiction
FREE computer use
Physical activity opportunities

A series of taster sessions and health checks will be running at three libraries in the week commencing 9th November to mark the introduction of new services.

All libraries are free to join and therefore free to use. A good range of health resources and information can be found in all the county’s libraries.

Peter Wilson and Jo Horrillo, health improvement specialists from Leicestershire County and Rutland Community Health Services said, “We are really pleased to be partners in this new and exciting project in Leicestershire, and look forward to improving the health and well being of the local communities”

To find out more, pop into your library, call (0116) 305 6988 or visit www.leics.gov.uk/healthandwellbeing.

Libraries across Leicestershire are seeing an increase in visitors as the UK finds itself in a recession. Traditionally, people turn to public libraries during hard economic times – for cheaper entertainment, to help with employment, for free access to computers and to help them save money and be ‘greener’ by borrowing free books rather than buying.
Leicestershire Libraries have seen vast improvements recently as part of the £8 million transformation programme and staff are inviting the public to step into their local library to discover all the up to date services and facilities available for no or little cost.
Visitors will be supported by libraries over the coming months in their health, wellbeing, career prospects, lifestyle and general enjoyment by:

Stepping up to savings and improving finances – a free internet service where all the consumer price comparison and information websites are available, there are free books to borrow and you can have a cheap night in with a DVD that you can keep for a week

Stepping Up to success and improving job prospects – with free newspapers, free internet facilities and a large choice of titles for all sorts of learning and development
Stepping Out – alone or with friends and family to free events
Stepping Into the library’s welcoming surroundings where you can read all the latest best sellers for free and get up to date DVDs and audiobooks.
Stepping Up to a challenge – train your brain with crosswords, Sudoku and general knowledge quizzes.

Details of library developments can be found on www.leics.gov.uk/libraries
Details of events can be found on www.leics.gov.uk/events
Facts and figures about Leicestershire Libraries for 2008 – 2009