Eat Well Be Active
Our aim, our principles, and our approach
Our vision
To improve healthy life expectancy and reduce health inequalities for everyone living in Cheshire West and Chester by supporting residents to eat well and be active every day.
Our aim
The aim of the EWBA framework is to improve the health and wellbeing of people in Cheshire West and Chester, by increasing the number of those who are eating well and being more active. The framework strengthens the existing view that to achieve a change in people’s behaviour we need a whole-system approach to integrating and embedding healthy eating and physical activity into everyday life, in a way which is accessible and inclusive. A whole systems approach links together many of the factors that influence healthy weight and requires co-ordinated action across multiple sectors.
Leadership, collaboration, and partnerships are therefore at the heart of the framework, which seeks to achieve a cultural shift towards a healthy, active, and thriving borough. This collaborative, partnership approach will support people to lead more healthy and active lifestyles in an environment which promotes this as the norm.
Our principles
We will put people at the heart of our strategy, ensuring we focus on clear outcomes for all residents. This strategy and accompanying action plan will be centred around ambitious but achievable outcomes, supported by partners across the borough and accountable to the Health and Wellbeing Board.
What we do together locally as a joined-up system of key partners, residents and with strong leadership is key to improving the health and wellbeing of those residing in our borough. Strong partnerships, local insight and intelligence and community voice are all essential in ensuring we focus our efforts on local action.
We will learn from the past and learn from what others do well, whilst making sure that we address our local needs creatively, using those opportunities available to us in new and innovative ways.
We will support our residents by making it easier for them lead healthier lives, in a way which is accessible and affordable. We will improve the environments in which people live, work, learn and play, supporting partners and residents to make positive change. We will remove stigma and support our residents without discrimination.
We will support all residents to eat well and be active, with a focus on those who have the greatest need. We will take a lifecourse approach, with fairness and equity at its heart, reducing stigma and inequalities. We will work in collaboration with partners who know their residents well, to help us to reach those less likely to engage.
The Eat Well Be Active partnership is continually evolving in response to emerging issues and needs. We understand the complexities some of our residents face, and whilst focussing on eating well and being active we will incorporate priorities around mental health, poverty, climate change and ensure synergies with other related work areas.
Our approach
Cheshire West and Chester is often viewed as affluent and prosperous, but there are parts of our borough where our residents face significant inequalities. Our goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of all our residents, but with extra efforts focused where they are needed most.
We know that prevention, early detection, and early intervention leads to much better health and wellbeing and healthy weight is no exception. Prevention and early intervention can happen at any time during a person’s life and this principle is reflected across the framework.
Eating well and being more active is not the responsibility of one organisation alone. It is therefore important that the framework is developed and implemented by a partnership consisting of a wide variety of individuals and organisations, including the public, private, voluntary and community sectors, working at place level and closely with the Integrated Care Board. Many of our challenges are shared and require shared solutions. The framework draws upon the experience and expertise of a broad range of stakeholders to deliver a robust and committed approach to eating well and being more active. It promotes a comprehensive method of partnership working to increase levels of healthy weight across the borough.
Decisions about services and programmes will be based upon the best available information. Our strategy is based on our knowledge and evidence of local need. In our work to improve rates of healthy weight in the borough we will focus our efforts on specific groups and geographical areas where the need is greatest. This will allow us to make best use of resources, providing people with the best possible support and where needed, services to help them to reach a healthy weight, improve their diets and/or increase their physical activity.
The framework emphasises the importance of prevention and health promotion, empowering individuals, families, and communities to take responsibility for making their own healthy choices. By taking a whole systems approach, we want to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
