Residents on estate face challenge to become... fghting fit

The estate has been singled out as a site for a Healthy Living Centre, a scheme funded by National Lottery cash to improve the fitness and well-being of residents living there.

The idea has been put forward by the city council and the Oxfordshire health authority which would bid for millions of pounds to bring brand new facilities into the area.

At the moment the estate has a leisure centre, a health centre, a swimming pool and family and community centres to help the residents get by. It is expanding all the time and its population is soon expected to reach 13,000, and the two authorities say they want to get it more facilities to bring everyone's health up to scratch. The idea is in its very early stages and later on residents will be asked what they want to see. Examples of centres include a facility in Peckham, London, where people can go swimming, see a doctor and get physiotherapy all under one roof, but the Blackbird Leys Scheme could be different and would be aimed at the estate's needs.

It might not even be one single building and could take the form of a network of different centres.

At the moment the area is characterised by high unemployment and poverty which, studies show, can lead to unhealthy lifestyles and unbalanced diets.

Brenda Cook, the city council's health promotions officer, stressed the estate is not seen as unhealthier than anywhere else, but said its growing population is leaving its residents short of facilities.

Its geographical position and the fact that less than half the households on the estate have a car also makes it hard for them to travel elsewhere for health care and out-of-town supermarkets, which offer a better range of cheaper, fresher and healthier food.

Brenda says the aim of the scheme is to help get the whole community switched on to a healthier lifestyle.

She said: "Healthy Living Centres are being supported by the Government. They try to get public and private sectors to work with the community to bring health to them, rather than expecting them to look for things themselves. "We chose Blackbird Leys, not because the people there are more unhealthy or unfit than the rest of the city, but because its eventual size and position and its facilities makes it perfect for a bid for funding.

"It we get it, it means they will have access to the best resources and the best health. It's very exciting because this is a great opportunity to get some money which we can invest in the local community."

The next step after asking the community what it wants would be to set up a working party, which would put together a bid for the money later in the year.

If it is successful the idea could be copied elsewhere in the county.

Jane Leaman, public health promotions specialist at the health authority, said: "We would support the scheme because it could potentially fulfil a number of health needs of the community.

"We would expect there to be a number of health inequalities in Blackbird Leys. We do not have specific data but the make-up of people living there and the lack of access to health facilities would make things harder for people."

Geoff Price, practice manager at the Blackbird Leys Health Centre, Blackbird Leys Road, said the centre would be a welcome addition to the estate. He said: "It would be valuable because it would be an attempt to prevent illness before it occurs, which is more effective than treating it when the time comes.

"We would support the idea of asking people what they want. There are different needs on the estate which would need a different emphasis than somewhere else in the country, for example the estate is very youth-orientated with a lot of young children and mothers."

Pete Welply, manager of the Cuddesdon Corner Family Centre, said: "People are getting more aware of the need for exercise but find it difficult because of other stresses in life.

"The swimming pool is not always available to people who want to use it, especially in the afternoons. The leisure centre is under-used but one reason for that is that people say it is too expensive and used too much by outsiders.

"People are also increasingly aware of dietary needs but not so good at making the change, although I don't know where the impetus for that comes from. A study certainly needs to be done to find out exactly what people want."

We asked Fiona Lovelock, senior dietician at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, to look at the diets of three typical households on the estate. Young mum and family NICOLA RAVEN, 19, lives with her boyfriend Mark Heath, 32, and their daughters, one-year-old Courtney and seven-week-old Tayela in Warburg Crescent.

The couple spend £60 to £70 a week on groceries and go to Sainsbury's supermarket in Cowley.

Nicola said: "Mark does the shopping. We mostly eat pasta with sauces and jacket potatoes with cheese, onions or baked beans. We also buy lots of crisps and biscuits and chocolate which we just eat as snacks.

"I'll have my dinner at the Cuddesdon Corner Family Centre. The food varies from things like fish pie, salads or ploughman's lunch, fish and chips. I don't eat breakfast and at home I just tend to pick at things.

"We don't have fresh vegetables, although we might have carrots on Sundays, and we don't have fruit. I don't eat puddings but Courtney likes yoghurts and Angel Delights.

"Mark does the cooking. It used to be just chips, chips, chips before. With our meal we drink lemonade or coke. I'm a bit of a caffeine addict - I drink lots of coke and coffee. Tayela's still on milk and Courtney drinks a lot of cow's milk although she prefers it as milk-shakes. Other times she'll have orange juice."

Fiona says: Living on simple, quick to prepare meals is fine as long as the meals include all the food groups, although there is a distinct lack of fruit and vegetables in their shopping trolley.

Children need to get used to fruit at an early age because they contain nutrients that are essential for healthy growth and development. Examples could be mashed banana or tinned fruit served with yoghurt, custard or milk pudding.

They also need to establish good eating patterns in children at an early age. Having set meal times is important for all of us, especially young children. People who skip meals and end up picking miss out on essential nutrients and eating regularly will give everyone energy.

A suggestion for their jacket potatoes could be to have tuna instead or tinned tomatoes. Baked beans are a great idea because they contain fibre and protein and are fat free.

Chocolate, crisps and sweet biscuits are high in energy but low in nutrients needed for healthy development. Elderly couple ENID, 75, and HORRY KEMP, 78, live in Sandy Lane and spend between £20 and £25 a week on groceries from supermarkets.

"We have a good menu - we're not going to starve ourselves," Edith says: "I make sure we have lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and fresh meat. White meat is better for us, although we have beef once a week. On Fridays we always have a bit of fresh fish. Tonight I'm cooking a roast chicken with potatoes, broccoli, Yorkshire pudding, brussels, and we'll have the left-overs tomorrow.

"Other times we have things like chips or mashed potatoes and peas. For puddings we have bananas and custard or some other fruit and custard. Everything we have is plain, healthy home cooking. I don't believe in a lot of these ready-made meals. I just wouldn't be able to eat them."

Fiona says : This couple are sensible eaters on a low budget. They enjoy home cooking and have plenty of fruit and vegetables and Mrs Kemp's idea of cooking a roast and making two meals out of it is good.

Red meat is safe to have more than once a week because it is high in iron, although it depends on how it is cooked and how lean the meat is.

Ready-made meals can be high in fat, salt and contain minimal amounts of vegetables, so the couple were right to avoid them, although they can be useful for those with hectic lifestyles, as long as people look for those containing vegetables, for example casseroles with rice or shepherds pies. Middle aged man JOHN BAILEY, 44, is a postman from Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys.

He said: "I live on my own and I spend about £20 a week on food. I buy some of it at the local store but most of the time I go to Sainsburys in Cowley.

"A typical meal will be something like a pie or beef or lamb chops. I don't make the pie myself but I don't usually have ready-made meals apart from very occasionally. Other meals I might have might be egg and chips or sausages.

"Once a week I go to a friend's house and she'll cook me a roast meal with all the trimmings, like vegetables and things. I also sometimes eat at the Cuddesdon Corner centre. They offer quite a wide range, although if there's nothing I like I go without. If I do have a meal I make it my main meal of the day and I'll go home and pick at things. I might have some biscuits or crisps or a sandwich.

"I usually have tinned vegetables with meals. If my four-year-old daughter, May, is staying with me we have tinned new potatoes because she likes them. We'll also have fruit because she likes that, too, and that is usually bananas or apples. I don't usually have puddings.

"I always have breakfast and it's usually cereal such as cornflakes or Frosties, although sometimes I have toast.

"I usually drink tea with my meals. I always have a cup of tea first thing in the morning and then coffee. I have about four cups of tea and double that of coffee. It keeps me going."

Fiona says: John starts his day well by having breakfast - toast or cereal are good because they are high in carbohydrates and low in fat. Plain cereals, like cornflakes, are better because they don't have a lot of added sugar.

He doesn't appear to have regular meal times, which results in picking on snack foods. These tend to be high in sugar and/or fat but don't fill us up.

It really is worth trying to change this by having jacket potatoes, Pot Noodles, wholesome soup or sandwiches. They are all quick and easy and keep us on top of our day. He should not go without meals.

John's main meals are OK but there are alternatives such as pies topped with potato rather than pastry, pizza with salad, grilled cod or fish fingers served with mashed potato.

Chips, pies, sausages and eggs are useful, tasty and quick options but very high in fat, and possibly salt. Tinned vegetables are fine and May's visits have a positive influence on him. Other quick, nourishing items include tinned fish and baked beans.

He drinks lots of tea or coffee. Neither are bad for us but 12 cups sounds too much. He should try to substitute these for other fluids and get the kick he needs from eating fruit.

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