Culture a remedy for better health and wellbeing

The Public Health Agency (PHA) will be working in partnership with the City of Culture Company and Derry City Council to support the Derry/Londonderry City of Culture 2013 as a significant opportunity to improve the health and wellbeing of residents from the city and surrounding areas.

Explaining why the PHA is supporting this initiative, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA, said: “The Public Health Agency was set up to promote good health and wellbeing within our population and to tackle the unjust health inequalities between the best and worst off in our society.

“The City of Culture 2013 offers a unique opportunity to develop new partnerships and collaborations that are accessible to everyone and so enhance the health and wellbeing of all local people. For this to happen however, it is particularly important that those who experience some of the greatest inequalities are supported to be part of the experience and gain the benefits.”

The PHA, in partnership with the City of Culture Company, is working to link existing initiatives and new activity to improve long-term health and wellbeing into the proposed programme for City of Culture 2013. Details of the new health and cultural programme will be announced in the coming weeks.

The work on City of Culture 2013 will reinforce the aims of ‘One City, One Plan, One Voice’ and will identify Derry/Londonderry as an ‘early intervention city’, reflecting the change in approach that will lead to greater improvements in the health and wellbeing of the local community.