As part of Liverpool's year of Health and wellbeing, the city's Healthy Schools team is organising a Children and Young People’s Health and Wellbeing Conference at the LACE Centre in Sefton Park on Thursday 1 July.

The Healthy Schools team are responsible for groundbreaking work to improve the diet, fitness and wellbeing of the city’s thousands of children.

Scores of professionals involved in education, health and social care will be in attendance, together with representatives from the charity and voluntary sectors from across the region. Delegates will hear about the work going on in Liverpool and across the north west.

Speakers include former Health Secretary Andy Burnham MP, Liverpool’s Director of Public Health Dr Paula Grey and Claire Robson – the north west regional co-ordinator of healthy schools.

Projects being highlighted during the event include:

• The Healthy Schools Bus run in partnership with Everton FC and Arriva which visits every school in the city with information about healthy eating and physical activity for pupils and parents
• The "It’s Not OK" education programme in which children are shown the consequences of domestic violence, arson, racism and homophobic bullying
• The ‘GOALS’ (Getting Our Active Lifestyles Started) scheme in which health and nutrition experts work with families to tackle childhood obesity
• The work to increase take up of school meals by improving the range of food on offer through the introduction of salad bars and brightening up dining rooms
• The D.MYST group of young people who campaign against smoking being portrayed as cool

About 2010 Year of Health and Wellbeing

The 2010 Year of Health and Wellbeing aims to engage individuals and groups in thought and action to improve health and wellbeing, by integrating the work of public, third and private sectors at a neighbourhood level.

It provides an opportunity to not only communicate the importance of health and wellbeing to the people of Liverpool, but also to promote the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle and present a wide range of accessible activities to get involved in.

This year is about raising the importance of good health and wellbeing for everyone in Liverpool and the City Region – public bodies, businesses, communities and individuals. The framework being used to structure 2010 is the Five Ways to Wellbeing – an evidence based equivalent to 5 fruit and vegetables a day. The evidence shows that if we build actions from the Five Ways into our day, then we could add 7.5 years to life.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing are:

• Connect
• Be Active
• Take Notice
• Keep Learning
• Give.

Visit the website, www.2010healthandwellbeing.org.uk.