The Pavilion Surgery, based at Old Steine, held a free drop-in healthy eating event on Wednesday 19th 
October at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church (off St James’ Street, Kemp Town) organised by their Patient Participation Group. With information and advice from fully-qualified nutritionists on diet and weight management, there was also a cookery demo by The Big Fig project and refreshments. Stall holders included ‘I love my PPG’ with Pavilion newsletters, Brighton and Hove Health Trainers with visual reminders of how big a pound of fat ways and Mind with useful advice and information on food and mood.
Everyone through the door qualified for entry to a free raffle with impressive prizes, including three hours with
anutritionaltherapist (worth £270), vouchers for Infinity Foods, a Weightwatchers back pack filled withgoodies, a cookery book, interactive wall charts and a spiralizer.Patient members of the group hope that everyone who attended went away with ideas of how they can contribute to their own well-being by choosing as healthy a lifestyle as possible. Feedback from participants was very positive. ‘I’m starting a new job working with the homeless – I’ve been able to gather literature that I will be able to pass on to them.’
As the Senior Community Participation Worker with TDC (The Trust for Developing Communities) I have
supported the development of a patient participation group at Pavilion Surgery. The group worked hard to plan and run this event. They have all really enjoyed getting to know each other better and working together to organise something which has the potential to make real differences to people’s lifestyles.