Corkerhill community project aims to reduce health inequalities and risk of heart disease

A community project focused on food and nutrition based in Corkerhill has been awarded over £9,000 by national charity Heart Research UK, as part of its Healthy Heart Grants programme.
Heart Research UK provided the fundingHeart Research UK provided the funding
Heart Research UK provided the funding

The project will work with residents at risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in one of Glasgow’s most disadvantaged areas. It is a new programme by Nutrition Scotland in partnership with Pollok United and consists of cooking and nutrition classes which focus on reducing risk factors for CVD.

The courses will be delivered weekly for six weeks and participants will learn about a different nutritional topic each week culminating in them cooking a heart healthy meal together.

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Heart disease is a major cause of death and disability in Scotland, with people living in the most deprived areas at greater risk.

Nutrition Scotland aims to help reduce diet-related health inequalities by encouraging social connections and supporting participants to take action to keep their hearts healthy.

Aside from giving knowledge and building confidence in those directly taking part in the classes, the project will also have a wider impact through the provision of resources that are available to anyone visiting https://heartresearch.org.uk/

These digital resources include a series of educational videos covering risk factors for CVD such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, and will contain advice on simple lifestyle changes that individuals can make to reduce their risk of CVD.

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Susanne Fletcher, nutritionist and CEO of Nutrition Scotland, said: “Bringing people to together with food and signposting people to other services will be our priority.

"We hope the social connection and group learning will help motivate individuals that may be struggling with their mental and/or physical health and are at increased risk of developing CVD.”

The money for the grant was raised through Heart Research UK's partnership with Subway®, by instore donations across the country.

Dr Helen Flaherty, head of health promotion and education at Heart Research UK, said: “We are very happy to announce our support of this fantastic project, aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease among some of the most at-risk people in Scotland.

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“We are hoping this project will have a big impact on the Corkerhill community through the cooking and nutrition classes. Helping people live healthier, happier and longer lives is what the Healthy Heart Grants are all about.”

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