1. HARINGEY HEALTH TRAINERS
AND HEALTH CHAMPION
HARINGEY HEALTH TRAINERS
AND HEALTH CHAMPION
issue 1
The Health Trainer Service is
commissioned by Haringey Council.
Health trainers are qualified and
highly trained local people who
provide one-on-one advice,
motivation, practical support and
information to adults to help them to
adopt healthier lifestyles:-
• Healthy eating
• Smoking
• Physical activity
• Sensible drinking
Health Trainers see people over
six sessions and support them to
set achievable goals and personal
health plans. Progress is monitored,
reviewed and revisions made to
health plans when necessary.
Sessions are scheduled based
on the needs of the individual, for
example, weekly, fortnightly or even
monthly. The first session lasts for an
hour and the remaining five sessions
last for half an hour each.
The Health Trainer role contributes
towards addressing health
inequalities by helping local people
to adopt healthier lifestyles to help
prevent and manage a range of long-
term conditions, including diabetes,
and obesity.
Former client Anthony Clarke who
has completed the programme
stated:
“I think the
Health Trainer
Service is
a valuable
community
resource. I
have lost 20lbs
in weight.
I am very
grateful for the
help, advice
and support
given to me by Anthony Hardley
(Health Trainer) and look forward to
achieving my target weight in the
next 3 months”.
The Health Trainer Service is
open to:
• Adults aged 18+.
• Haringey residents, or those who
have a GP based in Haringey.
How do I access the service?
For an appointment or for more
information about the service call
0208 379 5269. Information can also
be found on the Haringey Council
website at http://www.haringey.gov.
uk/healthtrainerservice
You can also express an interest to
your GP/Nurse who will be able to
refer you to the service.
How do health professionals
refer someone to the service?
By completing a referral form which
can be found at
www.haringey.gov.uk/
healthtrainerservice
WELCOME TO THE FIRST EDITION
About the Health Trainer Service
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Introduction to the Health
Trainer Service 1
The Management Team 2
Where are the
Health Trainers Based 2
Meet a Health Trainer 3
Haringey Health Champions
4
How to become a Health
Champion 4
Men’s Health in Haringey 5
Haringey Man MOT 5
Health Champion Story 6
Health Update - physical
activity 7
Get Active in Haringey 7
SPECIAL POINTS OF
INTEREST
Haringey Man MOT
Health Champion Story - ”A
Pharmacist Saved my Life”
Health Trainers and Health
Champions: who are they and
what they can offer you or
your service?
Physical activity guidelines
and how YOU can get more
physically active in Haringey
newsletter

2. 2
The Health Trainer Service Management Team
Deborah Saunders
(Senior Health Trainer)
Deborah is responsible for the
day-to-day running of the Health
Trainer service and supporting the
Health Trainers in their role.
Paulette Yusuf
(Service Manager)
Paulette has overall responsibility
for the management of
the service, its design and
development. This includes
managing and developing staff to
meet the needs of the service.
Eunice Ashmeade
(Health Champion Co-
ordinator)
Eunice co-ordinates the Health
Champion activities that take
place in the community. She is
responsible for their supervision
and for their ongoing training and
development.
Where are Health Trainers Based?
Health Trainers work from a range of community based venues and
GP surgeries in Haringey.
These include:
• Bridge House Medical Practice
• Broadwater Farm Health Centre
• Cypriot Centre
• Living Well Hub, Northumberland Park
• Lordship Lane Health Centre
• Morum House Medical Centre
• Pembury House Children’s Centre
• Somerset Gardens Family Health Centre
• The Laurels Healthy Living Centre
• Tottenham Green Leisure Centre
• Triangle Children’s Centre
• Wood Green Central Library
For an up-to-date schedule visit:
www.haringey.gov.uk/healthtrainerservice
The Health Trainer
Service contributes
towards addressing
health inequalities by
helping to prevent and
manage a range of
long-term conditions,
such as diabetes and
obesity.

3. 3
Please can you tell me a little about
yourself?
In addition to being a Health Trainer, I am a
qualified Youth Worker, an Arsenal supporter and a
keen volunteer.
What attracted you to the Health Trainer
Role?
It is community based and the service is located
in many different settings around Haringey. I
have always liked outreach work and learning
new things, so the Health Trainer role was a new
challenge. It involves supporting local people on
a one-to-one basis to help them to make healthier
lifestyle choices.
How long have you worked for the service?
I’ve been here since 2010 — 5 years!
What skills/experience did you bring to the
post?
I am self-motivated, flexible and a good listener.
My previous experience set me in good stead
for the Health Trainer role. I was a leader of the
volunteering group for Rescue of Dignity (ROD),
a service that writes to imprisoned inmates to
empower and support them and their families. I
also worked as a volunteer for the Help Desk at
Camberwell Magistrates Court, and worked for
the Howard League for Penal Reform, a charity
campaigning for lesser sentencing for young
people.
Please can you tell me about a success
story of a client you have helped to change
their behaviour that sticks out in your mind?
A previous female client accessed the service for
support around losing weight as she had tried to
lose weight in the past but was not successful.
When we had our last session, she told me, frankly
speaking, that she was not impressed when she
saw me for the first time. She thought to herself
‘this man is incapable of giving me support, what
can he offer me that is new?’ However, with regular
monthly meetings with me and weekly sessions
with Weight Watchers, she achieved her weight
loss target of two stones. She was approached by
Weight Watchers and is now a Weight Watchers
Consultant.
Meet a Health Trainer
What aspects of the role do you enjoy the
most and what do you find most rewarding?
Everything! From when the client first sets their
goal, through to when they achieve them. Even
when clients do not reach their goals, the time
spent together, I think, is still beneficial to them,
because they have gained a better understanding
of the benefits of adopting a healthier lifestyle and
how to make these changes.
Anthony Hardley
(Health Trainer)
Even the smallest
of changes are
beneficial and
to be a part of that is
amazing.

4. 4
Haringey Health Champions
Health Champions are local people who are trained
and supported to promote healthy living in the
community. They are effective in reaching Haringey
residents and make a real difference locally. The
Health Champion role involves motivating and
empowering people to adopt positive lifestyle
changes such as sensible drinking, healthy eating,
being regularly active and stopping smoking. They
also raise awareness about diabetes and cancer
prevention. When appropriate, Health Champions
signpost people interested in making healthier
lifestyle choices to local health services such as the
Health Trainer, NHS Health Check, Stop Smoking,
leisure, drugs, alcohol and mental health services
for further support.
Health Champions have a strong local presence
and conduct outreach activities in a range of
settings, such as community centres, faith groups,
GP surgeries, libraries, shopping malls and at a
range of local events, including festivals, health/
employment fairs and at community-based NHS
Health Check events.
The Health Champion programme started in
January 2012. Through volunteering, Health
Champions have gained qualifications, skills and
experience which has enabled many to move into
further education, paid employment, eg. as Health
Trainers and other volunteering activities.
All Health Champions hold the Royal Society for
Public Health Level 2 award in ‘Understanding
Health Improvement’ and are provided with regular
supervision and ongoing training to support them
in their outreach activities. Training provided
includes the following: alcohol and diabetes
awareness, cancer prevention, mental health,
smoking cessation, healthy eating and physical
activity.
Cheryl West
(Senior Health Champion)
How to become a Health Champion
We are looking for more volunteer Health Champions to join our Team.
No formal qualifications are required, but a good local knowledge of
the area would be beneficial.
Health Champions receive free training to support them in their role, in
addition to regular supervision.
The role of a Health Champion is to raise awareness in the community
providing health information and signposting Haringey residents to
local health services to help them to make lifestyle changes.
Health Champions work in a range of community settings on a regular
basis. They volunteer in GP surgeries, libraries,
community centres, shopping malls, in addition to
supporting a range of local events. It is an exciting
opportunity to get to know the local community,
meet people, gain new skills, qualifications and
work experience.
If you are interested in becoming a Haringey
Health Champion, please call 0208 379 5844 or
email deborah.saunders@enfield.gov.uk
Health Champions
are local people
who are trained and
supported to promote
healthy living in the
community.

5. 5
Men’s Health in Haringey
On average women live longer than men and
there are many complex reasons for this. The
health behaviours and beliefs of men have been
connected to differences in health seen between
men and women. For example, men generally
tend to be reluctant to use health services and
are less likely to visit their GP when ill. They also
have a tendency to present at the later stages of
illness and are less
likely than women to
present with concerns
about mental health.
Everyone can improve
their health and well-
being by making
small changes to their
lifestyle! Men’s health
in Haringey could be
greatly improved if
lifestyle changes in
Shaun Perry
(Health Champion)
The health behaviours and
beliefs of men have been
connected to differences in health
seen between men and women.
Man MOT is a Men’s Health Forum programme,
funded by the Department of Health, working
in partnership with Haringey Council and the
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Man MOT is a FREE, confidential and
personalised online health information and
support service through which men can ‘chat’
directly to a GP about any health problem at
all via a mobile phone, computer or tablet. No
appointment necessary.
Man MOT was designed with and for the men of
Haringey. It aims to remove some of the barriers
associated with accessing traditional health care
services. It is not a diagnosis service, nor does it
aim to replace existing services.
It has an emphasis on prevention and early
intervention and has a number of unique features
including:
• A GP surgery
via ‘text chat’
• Information on
local health
services
• Signposting
to other health
services
• Lifestyle
information
Haringey Man MOT
Man MOT is
designed with
the aim of removing
some of the barriers
associated with
accessing traditional
health care services.
the areas of stopping smoking, becoming more
active, reducing alcohol consumption and eating a
healthy diet were made.
Haringey men are the first in the country to be
offered a pioneering online service.
Haringey Man MOT
Man MOT is a FREE, confidential and personalised
online health information and support service for
men accessible via mobile phone, computer or
tablet, designed with and for the men of Haringey.
Man MOT is designed with the aim of removing
some of the barriers associated with accessing
traditional health care services. See page 6 for
more information about Man MOT.
Man MOT
Surgery
hours are:
Mondays and
Thursdays
7pm-10pm -
live chat with
a GP on all
topics.
Wednesday
Workshop
7pm-10pm -
live chat with
experts. New
topic each
month.
To access the service visit:
www.menshealthforum.org.uk/Haringey
For more information about Haringey Man
MOT contact: Jim Pollard, jim.pollard@
menshealthforum.org.uk
A number of reports have been produced which
have informed the development and design of
Haringey Man MOT. They are available on the
Men’s Health Forum website.
www.menshealthforum.org.uk/haringey-man-mot-
project
Man MOT Health Champions,
pictured (left to right); Shaun
Perry, Steve Dunkely, Cheryl
West and Nigel Lascells
Brown

6. 6
Nigel lives in Haringey and has been a Health
Champion for over a year and was made a Senior
Health Champion in May 2014. After experiencing
ill-health and being unable to return to work in
the catering industry he volunteered to become
a Haringey Health Champion. To enable Nigel
to carry out his role he has gained numerous
vocational qualifications and has undertaken
various training, including Understanding Health
Improvement, Encouraging Physical Activity,
Understanding Behaviour Change, Healthy Hearts
and Smoking Cessation. He promotes health
across Haringey in a range of settings, including
job centres, Morrisons and Tesco supermarket, the
local college and within local gyms.
Nigel’s story
In December 2010, I had a cold. That wasn’t
unusual. I worked in a hot kitchen. But this one
just lingered on and eventually I went to the
pharmacist to get some cough mixture. I don’t
know what it was, perhaps it was the way I looked;
she asked me when I’d last seen a doctor. I said
‘about 20 years ago’. She told me I’d better go.
I went to see the GP the next day. I don’t know
why. Normally I wouldn’t have bothered. The GP
said he didn’t like the look of my blood tests. I went
for repeat tests the same day and he called me
that evening. That got me worried. Doctors don’t
normally call you in the evening.
I went back. My blood pressure was sky high. My
creatinine count, a test that shows kidney function,
was over 1,000. The usual level apparently is 100-
120. The GP said ‘I think you’ve got chronic kidney
failure and to be honest I don’t think you’ll last over
Christmas.’ He phoned the Royal Free Hospital,
gave me a note and I went. The hospital told me
to send my friend home because I wasn’t going
anywhere.
The next morning I saw the renal and kidney
consultant. She told me that without intervention
I had about a week to live. I still couldn’t believe
it. I didn’t think I had any symptoms. I was a bit
breathless but thought that was the cold.
They got my blood pressure down and over the
new year, I was put on a dialysis machine. I learned
how to do the dialysis at home. I was on dialysis
for 18 months - 13 and a half hours a night. I felt so
much better on dialysis that it made me realise just
how tired and run down I had been before.
Health Champion Story “A pharmacist saved my life”
My kidney failure was caused by high blood
pressure and the fact that my kidneys were small
to begin with. I’d had a terrible lifestyle - smoking,
drinking, eating rubbish and working 90 hours a
week.
After a couple of false alarms, in February 2012 I
got a call saying they had a live kidney donor for
me. I felt fantastic immediately after the transplant.
Now it’s still going well. I have a few side-effects
from the medication but they’re not uncommon. I’m
a very lucky man. I met the right people at the right
time. I’ve had a lot out of the NHS and this (being a
Health Champion) is my chance to give something
back. Now my thing is to get people to look at their
lifestyles. They call kidney disease the silent killer
but it’s not the only thing that can creep up on you.
That pharmacist saved my life.
Nigel Lascells Brown
(Senior Health Champion)
I’ve had a lot out of
the NHS and this
is my chance to give
something back.

7. 7
Tottenham Active
This program is aimed at increasing numbers
of people accessing sport and physical activity
in the Tottenham Area.
Further information and the latest list of
activities on offer, can be found at:
www.haringey.gov.uk/tottenhamactive
Get Active in Haringey
Haringey leisure centres work in partnership
with Fusion Lifestyle, offering a range of sports
and activities in the community to suit all.
Activities include:
• Swimming
• Gym sessions
• Racquet sports
• Football
• Group Classes
• Health Walks
Visit the Fusion Lifestyle Website for more
information:
www.haringey.gov.uk/leisure-centres
Leisure centres in Haringey:
Tottenham Green Leisure Centre
1 Philip Lane, Tottenham, N15 4JA
T: 020 8885 7300
Broadwater Farm Community Centre
Adams Road, Tottenham, N17 6HE
T: 020 8801 4115
Park Road Leisure Centre
Park Road, Hornsey, N8 8JN
T: 020 8341 3567
White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre
White Hart Lane,
Wood Green, N22 5QW
T: 020 8881 2323
What are the current recommendations for
adults?
Adults should
aim to be active
daily. Over a week,
activity should
add up to at least
150 minutes (2½
hours) of moderate
intensity activity in
bouts of 10 minutes
or more. One way
to approach this is to do 30 minutes on at least 5
days a week. Moderate-intensity activity will raise
your heart rate and make you breathe faster and
feel warmer – you can talk, but you cannot sing!
Alternatively, comparable benefits can be achieved
through 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity
spread across the week or combinations of
moderate and vigorous intensity activity. Vigorous-
intensity activity will make you breathe harder and
faster and will increase your heart rate quite a bit.
You will not be able to say more than a few words
without having to pause for a breath.
Adults should also undertake physical activity to
improve muscle strength on at least two days a
week. All adults should minimise the amount of
time spent being sedentary (sitting) for extended
periods.
In addition, older adults (65+) who participate in
any amount of physical activity gain some health
benefits, including maintenance of good physical
and cognitive function. Some physical activity
is better than none, and more physical activity
provides greater health benefits.
Older adults at risk of falls should incorporate
physical activity to improve balance and co-
ordination on at least two days a week, e.g., yoga
or tai chi.
Examples of moderate intensity physical
activity include:
• Brisk walking
• Cycling
• Ballroom dancing (older adults)
Examples of vigorous intensity physical
activity include:
• Running
• Sports such as swimming or football
• Climbing stairs (older adults)
Physical Activity Update Examples of physical activity that
strengthen muscles include:
• Exercising with weights
• Carrying or moving heavy loads such as
groceries
• Chair aerobics (older adults)