A PROJECT which encourages people in Sedgefield borough to live a healthier life has celebrated its first anniversary.

The Passport to Health project celebrated is birthday at the Pioneering Care Centre in Newton Aycliffe, with local partner agencies and funding bodies.

The day included presentations and evaluations of the activities, as well as presentations from participants including a Ready Steady Cook demonstration, a puppet show from the allotment holders and stories from smoking cessation participants.

The Passport to Health project was set up following a successful bid to the National Lottery's healthy living centre funding programme and was supported by local agencies including Sedgefield Primary Care Trust.

The Pioneering Care Partnership is the lead agency managing the funding and working with several agencies to deliver various activities.

Partner agencies delivering courses include Groundwork East Durham, Sedgefield Borough Council, DISC and Stonham Housing Association.

The project was recently awarded cash from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund which has given it the opportunity to expand the smoking cessation scheme and the healthy lifestyle course.

The extra funding also gives the project the opportunity to work with specific groups such as young parents, teenagers and people with mental health issues.

Courses run by the Passport to Health project are:

* Smoking cessation - Quit for life. Courses are run in local communities and support those who want to stop smoking.

The rolling programme at Newton Aycliffe currently has 21 participants and programmes are about to start in Ferryhill and Fishburn.

For more information contact Annie Pluse on (0191) 301 3811.

* Healthy Lifestyle Courses. This course aims to encourage residents to enjoy healthier lifestyles.

The courses include healthy cooking, basic first aid, gentle exercise and therapy tasters. Courses have started in Newton Aycliffe and Shildon, with another course due to start after Easter in Spennymoor and Trimdon Colliery.

For more information contact Lisa Nevens on (0191) 301 3810.

* Community Allotment Scheme. The allotments give people a chance to grow healthy fresh fruit and vegetables and once harvested, to eat their own home-grown produce.

There are already allotments being created in Trimdon Village, Fishburn and Shildon.

The group in Fishburn has recently extended its plot and is looking for more new ideas.

For more information contact Stephen Armstrong on (0191) 527 3333.

l Fit for Life Scheme. The scheme guides people towards leading healthier lifestyles. It introduces several exercise styles and covers health topics.

The Options group from the Pioneering Care Centre recently took part in Fit for Life and is now meeting on a regular basis.

Courses are run in local leisure centres and in communit centres. For more information contact Liz Jordan on (01388) 816166.

* Sedgefield Befriending Scheme. There are several out-of-hours drop-in schemes up and running.

Not only does the scheme offer support and companionship to people who may be feeling lonely, isolated or experiencing mental health problems, it also gives an opportunity for people to become befriending volunteers.

There are drop-in centres in Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Shildon and Trimdon Village. For more information call Carolyn Stephenson on (0191) 301 3833.

* Peer Education/Peer Support. The Peer Support project trains secondary school students to talk to primary school pupils on the awareness and dangers of substance misuse. For information on the Peer Support group contact Jack Flannigan on (0191) 384 2785.

For more information on the Passport to Health Project and the various courses contact Lisa Nevens, on (0191) 301 3810.