Newsletter October 2006
Hello and welcome to the WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week coordinator’s update for October 2006
Winter looks like it is finally on the wane and now everyone wants everything done before Christmas
In this edition:
- Meetings
- Minigrants
- Fruit and Veggie month
- Cookbook competition for health professionals
- Healthy skins
- Opportunities for working with Rotary
- Attachments - Tamariki Ora newsletter
- MeNZB update
- Due to various other work and family commitments it ended up my turn to stay in Auckland and so I missed out on the Christchurch Summit - but I believe that a lot of you got together there and I am sure a lot of useful information sharing and networking was done as well as the excellent presentations. I do think we need more of these meetings across the country to share ideas and really get and keep WellChild issues on everyone’s agendas.
- I have been trying to be more proactive in the strategic thinking and planning mode recently and have also attended the first of the WellChild framework steering committee review meetings - I will attach the first newsletter to come out of that for you to read if you haven’t already seen it.
- While we are on feedback and meetings it is timely to mention that we have had feedback re. the suggestion to change the minigrants to a more structured sponsored workshop for coalition coordinators - the general consensus appears to be that you do appreciate the minigrants and find them supportive - therefore we will undertake to continue them for at least the next year - I would remind everyone that we see them as the glue that binds the coalition members together and they are meant to “assist in collaborative working and setting up of local coalitions” – I would encourage new coalitions in particular to apply and urge established coalitions to keep looking for alternative funding as well, to help them grow bigger and better.
Details of the 2007 grants will be in the next ( December ) newsletter.
November is Fruit and Veggie month 5 plus a day are promoting November 2006 as fruit and vegetable month - this seemed such an important topic to us that we decided rather than trying to concentrate on this as well as healthy skins as we had planned we would like to suggest that you all join forces with them and promote fruit and veggies to all the families and children you come into contact with – get some competitions and games going at the pre-schools, kindys and kohanga in your area - get the kids growing their own veggies and put up some of those beautiful colourful posters around your work area.
Once again 5 plus have some wonderful resources - if you haven’t discovered them yet go to www.5aday.co.nz have a look and order some today.
To go along with the fruit and veggie month we have a little competition just for you - sponsored by Horticulture New Zealand
What are you doing to promote vegetables? Be in to win!
Share your strategy with us and we will tell others…
What is a specific key idea/tip/method for inspiring vegetable consumption that you have found works well with your patients/clients?
We have five copies of Peter Gordon’s stunning new cookbook – Vegetables - the new food heroes to give to those of you who are willing to share what you have found works well to motivate your patients and clients to use more vegetables. All of us at times lack inspiration for both what to have for dinner tonight and how to motivate others to make vegetable choices… but we know there are some great ideas out there. Peter’s ideas are probably not those you will use in your work but they certainly are inspiring for your own use! Be sure to visit www.vegetables.co.nz and check out our resources – we have lots that will make your job easier. If you can think of other resources that would help you please do not hesitate to let us know.
Simply tell us what you have done and you will go in the draw to win this stunning book. Be inspired and e-mail your vegetable ideas to gourley@xtra.co.nz
Glenda Gourley
vegetables.co.nz
Horticulture New Zealand
Cellulitis, school sores, infected insect mites
These are still a major source of medical consultation time, hospitalisations and expense which could be avoided –
We will as promised be focussing on these issues soon - the plan is to do this in January 2007 - so look out for your information pack on the topic then.
The plans for 2007 are currently taking shape:
- Skins are our main focus in the first part of the year
- Then we will be promoting Children’s day on March 4 th ( see their web-site - www.childrensday.org.nz ) and following this with WellChild /Tamariki Ora week - March 5 th – 12 th and reinforcing their theme of spending time with your children as our focus too.
- Next we would like to focus on Immunisations in July – September
- We have an exciting opportunity to work with the local rotary clubs of New Zealand at this point - they are keen to assist in the promotion of immunisation - they are looking for ways in which they can help both locally and nationally – I would like with your permission to pass on the coalition contacts to them so that they can liaise at a local level with you and see how they can help your local activities, and I will be working on a national strategy with them also.
- I will assume that you are happy with this approach unless I hear otherwise
Free Baby & Toddler Goodies Bags
You can now give your patients FREE Goodies Bags of Baby Products when they bring their children in for their 6-Week & 15-Month immunisations.
Award winning company Nappies Direct has sourced free products to help incentivise parents to get their children immunised on time. The Programme has been successfully trialled at Medical Practices in both Auckland & Wellington and is now being rolled out nationally.
The programme also offers Medical Practices the ability to send free automated email reminders to parents advising them when their child’s next immunisation is due (these can even include your Practice’s name and phone number so it is really easy for them to contact you to make their next appointment).
To find out more contact Kevin at Nappies Direct on (09) 444 2634 or kevin@nappies.co.nz
- Finally we will focus once more on healthy eating and nutrition at the end of the year for 2007
Remember that we have banners and flags always available from the National Office , and stickers and posters can be ordered from the Ministry of Health Educational Resources – www.healthed.govt.nz
That is all for now from me - please feel free to pass this newsletter on , comment or feedback and have a safe, happy and healthy fruit and veggie month.
Marguerite Dalton, WellChild /Tamariki Ora Week Coordinator
October 2006
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