The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Arts Care are launching an exhibition of arts and craft by older people as part of the third Here and Now Older People’s Arts and Wellbeing Festival. The gala showpiece, ‘RIPE 2’ exhibition at the Ulster Hall, Belfast features artwork by older people over the age of 60 who have never had a solo exhibition. The Here & Now Arts & Wellbeing Festival aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of older people by involving them in a wide range of high quality arts programmes in health and social care and community settings.

Register for our engagement workshop on 1 May The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) are currently working on the development of the Commissioning Plan for 2015-16. This plan sets out the key areas where money will be invested over the coming year. Service users, carers and members of the public, have already helped shape and inform six key themes (listed below) that will be the focus during 2015-16:

A public engagement programme is underway inviting patients, carers and families to share their experiences of care to help improve services for people with non-curable and serious illnesses. During the month of April the ‘Let’s Talk About’ care programme is calling on people across Northern Ireland to share their experiences by completing an open survey at www.caresurvey.org

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has produced a video to explain how bowel cancer screening works to encourage more people to avail of the simple home test which can help detect the illness.

The Regional Service User Network (RSUN), with support from Council for the Homeless Northern Ireland (CHNI) and the Public Health Agency (PHA), hosted a conference yesterday [Thursday 26 March] to look at service user involvement and harm reduction. People who use substance misuse services had an opportunity to share their experiences to help improve services and to tackle and reduce the harm associated with substance misuse.

The clocks spring forward this weekend which will give us the chance to get active in the brighter evenings and start getting more active. There are many ways to kick-start your journey to better health and wellbeing and the Public Health Agency (PHA) says that doing smaller bouts of activity, of 10 minutes or more, will soon add up and can improve your health.

A project that distributes surplus food to charities and voluntary organisations is having a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged groups. Council for the Homeless NI (CHNI) FareShare is directly tackling food poverty in Northern Ireland by collecting surplus food from industry and redistributing it to charities that are providing meals to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, including low income families, senior citizens, people with a disability, victims of domestic violence, at-risk young people and homeless people.