Ideas and Suggestions

Dudley JCP Wellbeing Event

HASSRA members at Dudley JCP launched a Well Being event in November which included a number of easy activities which could aide relaxation at work.

As the sun shone down, the morning began with staff taking part in 30 minute Tai Chi sessions in the car park; staff found the sessions invigorating and have already asked if they can hold further sessions in the future. Following Tai Chi, the Holistic Team demonstrated a variety of sessions in

Acupressure, Indian Head Massage and Reflexology. The variety of exercises taught staff easy techniques which they can do to themselves to improve their own personal wellbeing, in particular the Acupressure which many found extremely useful and now do at their desk each morning in just a couple of minutes.

A relaxation room for staff was also set up and included fact sheets and a variety of stress reducing foods. In addition, staff were also issued with goody bags containing chocolate, stress balls, relaxation products, relaxation CD’s, bubble wrap and literature.

The event proved so popular that management are looking into holding another early in the new year.

Pedometer challenge Info

If you belong to a HASSRA Club who are interested in arranging a pedometer challenge or indeed work in an office where there is no club set up at present but would still like to get together with other HASSRA members to take part in such a challenge then HASSRA may be able to help.

Your HASSRA Regional Business Partner has been providing pedometers to assist various offices around the country. Unfortunately, we have only a small number left but we will make these available while we can.

Where a HASSRA Sports and Social Club exists in the office a request via E mail should be made to your Regional Business Partner (copied in to myself) by either the chair, secretary or treasurer of the club.

Where no there is no current club set up, contact should be made by the site sponsor or office manager.

If you would like to discuss further or have any queries please contact Moz Baker on moz.baker@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

Pedometer Challenges are proving to be more and more popular as well as interesting and stimulating. A number of sites have now signed up to the Pedometer Global Challenge which involves a simulated walk around the world. Have a look at what is happening in HASSRA around the UK.

I’m attaching a link to this initiative which may be of interest to HASSRA members in your office.

http://www.gettheworldmoving.com/

Happy Stepping!

Higher or Lower

One of the offices that has been particularly active and innovative in taking forward Wellbeing on its site is Poplar Jobcentre.

One of their most popular and fun events is “Play your Carbs Right”, a game similar to the classic Bruce Forsyth game show but instead of guessing whether the next card is higher or lower than the previous one, you have a picture of an item of food and you have to guess whether the Calorific content is higher or lower than the previous one.

A good way of focusing the mind on what we’re eating and also a fun event for office members to take part in. All you need is some card and pictures of various food types and after a bit of research via the internet you'll have all the information you need to play this informative game.

Mums know best

Tania Furlong from Shared Services in Runcorn got in contact to advise me on an initiative ongoing in her office. She has recently put some information up on office notice boards sharing tips and advice on healthy eating, and how to plan cheap and healthy meals for the family. Tania has provided a list of store cupboard essentials, and how to prepare a meal planner for the week or month. There is also a weekly meal planner completed with the list of ingredients you need to feed a family of four for only £46 for the whole week! Tania obtained all this information from the site www.netmums.com It is full of really useful tips and ideas for fun & healthy eating, and contains blogs and ideas from real people who have tried the recipes and sent them in. Tania found it really useful and wanted to share this with colleagues.

Dover BDC Vending Machine

After many years of having an expensive and not altogether healthy vending machine in the office, it was suggested to the Dover HASSRA Sports and Social Club Committee that they consider buying their own. That way they would be able to decide what goes in it and also the price of each item. The club explored the idea and found out that a vending machine cost about £2500. As the club had managed to be very frugal over the last several years and have had excellent financial planning, they had managed to save a little over £1500. In view of this they approached their local CSSC and asked for a loan of £1000. It was agreed, so they proceeded with the suggestion. They had the current machine removed and had the new one delivered. Club officials visited our local cash and carry and were able to set up an account with them. They are now able to put in the snacks and drinks those members in the office want, indeed they email the Committee to say what they would like to see in the machine and they endeavour to oblige. This includes a selection of healthy options. The club is able to set its’ own prices and the machine is now much less expensive than its predecessor (although it still makes a good profit).

The machine is filled up every day which requires an obvious commitment (including trips to the cash and carry!), but there are two of the Dover Committee that have kindly volunteered do this in their own time.

The machine will pay for itself in about 18 months – 2 years and the loan from CSSC will be repaid within 12 – 14 months.