Donegal captain Michael Murphy officially launched a new health and well-being project which is being rolled out across County Donegal by Donegal Local Development Partnership.
The project is ‘CoH-Sync’ which is short for Community Health Synchronisation.
The CoH-Sync project is a cross border EU INTERREG VA funded programme and is now available to anyone who wants to begin their journey to getting healthier but doesn’t know where to start.
Whether it is help to quit smoking, lose weight, make new connections in your community or just generally feel better about life, CoH-Sync can help.
According to Murphy, CoH-Sync is not about making big changes to your life: “If you want to take that first step to leading a healthier life then the CoH-Sync service could be for you. It’s about enabling people, of all ages and fitness levels, to make some simple changes to their life, with the friendly advice and support of a trained Health Facilitator.”
Padraic Fingleton, Donegal Local Development Company; Louise Breslin Donegal Local Development Company Board Director, Ian McGarvey, Donegal Local Development Company Board Director; Brian Carr, Donegal Local Development Company Board Director and Louise Brogan, Donegal Local Development Company.
Back row (left to right): Laura Duddy, Donegal Local Development Company; Stewart Parke, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Karen Devine, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Sharon Slevin, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Catherine Weitbrecht, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Bernice Alcorn, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Margaret Sweeney, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Mairead Mc Goldrick, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Pat Meehan , Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Lorraine McGowan, Donegal Local Development Company and Siobhan Coyle, Community Health Coordinator, Donegal Local Development Company.Photo Clive Wasson
He added: “It can be hard to know where to start when you want to get a little bit fitter or healthier. This is where the CoH-Sync service can help, by supporting you to make the changes that are important to you, with no lectures!”
Funding for the CoH-Sync project was secured by the cross border health services partnership, Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT) from the European Union’s INTERREG VA programme. The HSE is one of the CAWT partner organisations.
Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC) was successful in winning the contract to develop a CoH-Sync health and wellbeing hub in both the Letterkenny / North Donegal area and also for the Ballyshannon / South Donegal area. Both health and well-being hubs are facilitating people to improve their health and wellbeing in areas such as physical activity, mental health, nutrition, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Pictured at the launch of the cross border CoH Sync health and well-being project in Co Donegal are (front row – left to right): Catherine Weitbrecht, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company and Lorraine McGowan, Donegal Local Development Company (DLDC).
Back row (left to right): Karen Devine, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company; Stewart Parke, Community Health Facilitator Donegal Local Development Company, Bernice Alcorn, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company and Pat Meehan Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development CompanyPhoto Clive Wasson
Commenting on DLDC’s success in securing the two CoH-Sync project contracts in Donegal valued at €407,000 each, Padraic Fingleton, CEO said: “DLDC is working to improve opportunities for people and communities in County Donegal. The aims of the CoH-Sync project fit with our focus on being a bridge between our local community, the public sector and the private sector. We are delighted to be delivering this new programme across Donegal and ensuring that the CoH-Sync service is accessible to a wide range of people across all communities.” He added: “I would encourage everyone to sign up to an initial consultation with one of our CoH-Sync Health Facilitators. It is a free service and could open the way to new activities and networks in your area.”
Speaking on behalf of the CAWT cross border health and social care Partnership, which secured the EU funding for the border region, Patrick Murray, Head of HR in the HSE’s CHO1 area said: “It is fantastic that two CoH-Sync health and wellbeing hubs are being established in Donegal. The HSE, along with the Northern Ireland’s statutory health services played a significant part in securing the overall funding for the CoH-Sync project which is establishing a network of 8 health and well-being hubs in the border region of Ireland, Northern Ireland and SW Scotland.
Michael Murphy, Donegal GAA captain lending his support to the new CoH Sync health and well-being project in Co Donegal. Pictured are (left to right): Stewart Parke, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company, Karen Devine , Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company, Michael Murphy, Donegal GAA captain, Mairead McGoldrick, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company, Bernice Alcorn, Community Health Facilitator, Donegal Local Development Company. Photo Darren Crossan.
“This project, with its focus on early intervention and prevention, will contribute significantly to reducing health inequalities and enable people to improve their health in a supportive community-based environment. I wish to congratulate Donegal Local Development Company for their success in securing the contracts for the two Donegal CoH-Sync hubs and wish them every success as the project rolls out across the county.”
For more information on the CoH-Sync project locally or to find out how you can book the services of a Health Facilitator contact: Siobhan Coyle,Community Health Co-ordinator – Letterkenny/North Donegal Tel: 074 91 27056 Email: scoyle@dldc.org or Lorraine McGowan, Community Health Manager, Tel: 074 9723368 Email: lmcgowan@dldc.org
Donegal GAA Football captain endorses new local health and well-being Hubs for the county. Photo Clive Wasson
