New Year health checks

The Hastings and Rother Primary Care Trust set up free blood pressure checks and gave advice on a healthy diet and excercise. Help was also available for anyone thinking of giving up smoking.

The sessions also promoted advice and support groups which will be running for six weeks to give people more information about how to keep fit.

A regular keep-fit walk in Sidley on Friday mornings is also planned.

Members of the public could also discover more about the regular support sessions designed to help quit smoking.

Margaret Delahoy, public health development officer for the PCT, said: "It has been quite a good turn out. People are coming in the building to see about other things and then popping in to see us.

"What we are doing is raising people's awareness about blodd pressure and getting them to know what their 'numbers' are. If they have a blood presuure problem we can give them advice about seeing their GP and what they can do with their diet and exercise. If they have a normal blood pressure it is important we can give them advice to maintain that.

"We have got lots of supporting information about physical activity as a way to maintain a healthy blood pressure and information on salt and how that can affect things.

"If people want to improve their health we can help them to do that."

Smoking cessation advisor Teresa Beacham said: "If people want to stop smoking and want nicotine replacement therapy and one to one support they can come to us and increase their chances (of giving up) by up to four times."

* Free advice and support sessions about exercise and healthy eating begin on January 29 at Sidley Baptist Church from 10am.

The Friday walk begins on January 11 at Lidl car park, Sidley, at 11am.

Smoking cessation sessions run from January 16, from 9am to 10.30am at Bexhill Lesiure Centre and from 1pm to 2.30pm at Sussex House.

For more information or to book company sessions call 0800 917 8896 or Teresa on 07899875390.