Major Ni Employer’s Second Annual Drive to Keep Staff Healthy for Life and in the Sun

STAFF at major Northern Ireland employer Acheson + Glover (AG) are being reminded of the benefits of cancer prevention as part of a health and wellbeing promotion week later this month.

Tyrone headquartered AG, which manufactures a range of hard landscaping and structural precast concrete products, has enlisted the help of a number of charities to promote the message of taking care in the sun as many of its staff head off to sunnier climes this summer.

The initiative is part of a wider push to encourage the company’s 400 staff to adopt healthier lifestyles and includes events to illustrate the benefits of healthy eating and taking regular exercise.

Information stands will be set up in the canteens of all eight AG sites throughout NI from July 18 to 22, to highlight the aim of the campaign, supported by officials from Action Cancer and the Health and Safety Executive.

Local cancer charity Cancer Focus vans will also be at AG’s depots at Dungannon, Fivemiletown and Ballygawley every day that week when staff will provide screening checks for staff, separate for men and women, for cancers peculiar to each sex.

Among the methods to show the need for maintaining healthy body weight will be the evocative ‘jar of tar’, which serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of smoking.

During the health promotion week supervisors will also be giving production staff heading off on holidays ‘toolbox talks’ reminding them of the need to take care in the sun, including advice on the necessity of adequate sunscreen protection.

The company is also encouraging staff to gather recipes – especially healthy ones – to contribute to a book which will be sold among personnel for the company’s annual chosen charity which this year is the Northern Ireland Hospice.

This is the second year of the health and wellbeing campaign, according to AG’s Health, Safety and Environment Manager Cathy Donnelly. She explained:

“The idea of the week-long initiative is to boost morale among staff and to promote the great benefits to personnel’s wellbeing of healthy eating, taking regular exercise and taking care in the sun and follows a similar successful campaign last year.

“We also hope staff will seek out their favourite recipes, especially healthy recipes, for our book which will be sold among staff in aid of AG’s charity, the Northern Ireland Hospice.”