Posted: 11/02/10
Health drive for college's Kirkby campus
Students are being encouraged to keep fit, think healthy and get active after half-term at the college’s Construction and Logistics Skills Academy in Kirkby-in-Ashfield (23 February, 9.30am-2.30pm).
The main focus of the event is to promote Chlamydia screening, which is now a key government initiative. Free Chlamydia tests are available for men and women under 25 and the event will provide tests for construction and logistics students, as well as information about sexually-transmitted infections and counselling services available in the area.
Following on from its hugely successful two-day health event before Christmas, the college’s health, safety and welfare team will join together again with health representatives from NHS Nottinghamshire County to encourage students to put their health first, with a selection of activities ranging from:
- Chlamydia testing
- Nottinghamshire Police service
- Keep fit information from the college’s sport development co-ordinator
- Healthy eating with fruit and smoothie giveaways
- Smoking cessation advice from New Leaf, which will include a software demonstration of how smoking can age the face
- A press-up competition to get the heart pumping and voucher prizes for first and second place runners up
- Wii fit activities
- A DJ workshop.
The PCT’s ‘Let’s Build’ team will also be available to share important information about alcohol units and how to calculate safer drinking levels.
Student health advisor Michael Campbell said: “We’re really looking forward to another successful event. Last year’s health event saw over 170 students screened for Chlamydia and we want students at the Construction and Logistic Skills Academy to get involved in this initiative, as well as the other health-related activities that are being lined up.”
Alison Huckle, screening lead from NHS Nottinghamshire County said: “Chlamydia can often go undetected and one of the dangers from this is that it can lead to infertility. We want all 16-24 year olds to say 'yes' to a test and parents to have frank conversations around the protection against STIs”.
Statistics show that one-in-ten sexually active under 25-year-olds have Chlamydia, which usually doesn’t have any signs or symptoms. When left untreated, it can cause infertility.
