June 12, 2015
Toowoomba Regional Council’s CHANGE Project has been voted the best in Queensland at the Parks and Leisure Australia awards on the Gold Coast.
The program – which has been popular in the Toowoomba region’s outlying towns – is now in the running for the national award.
The Change Project won the Inclusive and Connected Communities award category.
TRC Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Cr Sue Englart said the award recognised outstanding programs or events which create and strengthen communities through leisure activities.
“The CHANGE Project creates a level playing field for healthy habits through providing free and low-cost programs across the region to help people be active, eat well and live well,” Cr Englart said.
“CHANGE makes living a healthy lifestyle easier by tackling the common barriers many people face towards leading a healthy life, such as cost and lack of social support and confidence,” she said
“There is a whole range of things to do indoors and out with regular healthy cooking courses and learning how to grow fruit and vegetable workshops for people to participate in.
“Currently almost half of the Project’s walking groups, fitness classes and healthy living courses are in regional localities. This is a region-wide initiative.”
Cr Englart said more than 6000 people have been involved in more than more than 2500 activity sessions in the three years since the project started.
“Currently more than 1200 people participate in 16 walking groups, nine Healthy and Active classes, nine Active Parks sessions, seven Heartmoves classes and two Parkrun activities across the region each week, logging more than 20,000 attendances so far in 2014-15,” she said.
“An additional 500 people have also attended 10 half-day Seed to Feed workshops, seven six-week Mum ‘n’ Bub class courses, seven six-week FOODcents programs and three x four-week Women’s Fitness Bootcamps this year.”
