June 2022 (2) – Queens Jubilee

This year in June, the UK has celebrated the monumental event of the Queens 70^th Jubilee, this marked 70 years since Queen Elizabeth took to the throne.

Queen Elizabeth II was 27years old when she became our queen in 1953 after the passing of her father King George.  Queen Elizabeth is currently the 3^rd longest reigning monarch, after Louis XIV of France and Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.

Celebrations of the jubilee were held across the commonwealth to commemorate how long the queen has been in state, including street parties, and an event at Windsor Castle.

The Queen acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service. The Queen has power over parliament, and this includes giving speeches to the house of lords and commons which are where our government reside and make influential decisions on behalf of the Commonwealth.

June 2022 – Healthy Eating Week

‘The Health Survey for England 2019 estimates that 28.0% of adults in England are obese and a further 36.2% are overweight but not obese.

Obesity is usually defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above. BMI between 25 and 30 is classified as ‘overweight’.’

This can lead to long term health implications, a shorter life expectancy and an unhealthy lifestyle.

Perhaps more worryingly, 14.4% of reception age children (age 4-5) are obese, with a further 13.3% overweight. At age 10-11 (year 6), 25.5% are obese and 15.4% overweight. National Child Measurement Programme.

The message for the Week this year is, Eat well for you and the planet! Each day of the Week will have a different theme: 

Monday: Focus on fibre – for meals and snacks

Tuesday: Get at least 5 A DAY – put plenty on your plate  

Wednesday: Vary your protein – be more creative  

Thursday: Stay hydrated – fill up from the tap

Friday: Reduce food waste – know your portions

What can you do to help healthy eating in your workplace?

Do you offer a variety of healthy foods at lunch time if meals are available on site? If you have vending machines at work, do they have healthy alternatives?

If you work with children, do you promote healthy eating to both the child and their parents?

Additional information:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn03336/

https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthy-eating-week/

May 2022 – Mental Health Month

May celebrates mental health awareness, this year’s focus is on loneliness, as we saw with Covid 19 loneliness can have a major impact on our mental health. 

According to Mind statistics show that 8 in 100 people have mixed anxiety and depression, 6 in 100 people have generalised anxiety disorder, 4 in 100 people have post-traumatic stress disorder, 3 in 100 people have depression, 2 in 100 people have phobias and 1 in 100 people have OCD.

It is important that you look after your mental health, this can include eating a healthy diet, taking part in exercise, meditation, reading, and enjoying leisure activities.

What can you do in the workplace?

Companies such as Google and Lego have invested in their employee’s mental health by encouraging time away from the desk, having mental health and wellbeing support within the office and ensuring that staff feel valued and supported.

Taking time out to talk to others about mental health can not only support staff but also reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and make it less of a taboo subject to be talked about.

If you have any concerns about your welfare, wellbeing or mental health please do talk to your tutor or reach out to the safeguarding team.