News Release 23 June 2022
Eat yourself healthy sounds too good to be true – but that’s the message from our GPs.
Socially prescribed cookery courses are being offered to patients to make it easier to choose and cook foods that reduce blood sugar and weight – which reduces risks associated with Type 2 diabetes and other conditions.
Social prescribing is a key part of New Milton’s community 2016-36 Neighbourhood Plan, and its health and wellbeing aims – with a holistic approach to protect, maintain and prolong good health.
Guided by the GPs’ social prescribing ambitions, New Milton Town Council saw an opportunity with the Government’s High Street Infrastructure Fund and was successful in a bid for £15,000 to provide cookery classes.
With a keen interest in social issues, the New Milton Quaker Meeting House have offered, as a venue, their Meeting House on Whitefield Road, in the heart of the town.
The course of 4 classes run by teacher and chef, Natasha Beatty, and the Social Prescribing Team, provides the opportunity to:
- Cook fresh, delicious, and nourishing meals
- Improve blood sugars and boost wellbeing
- Meet others with similar conditions
- Be inspired by recipes the whole family will enjoy
Each session is hands on, sharing tips and suggestions in a fun and interactive way. The recipes have been carefully chosen by the Diabetes Team to ensure they are packed with goodness and contain all the essential nutrients needed to eat healthily. For those interested in cutting down carbohydrates with the aim of reversing type 2 diabetes, each session will include low carb meals and ‘swap’ ideas.
Patients are referred by their GP or the Social Prescribing Team. They will be adults of all ages with existing health conditions – or who are at risk of developing preventable conditions – and whose health and wellbeing can be significantly improved through healthy eating.
New Milton Town Cllr Madalaine Craze said “We are all aware of the pressures on the NHS, and New Milton Town Council are delighted to launch this innovative collaboration – giving the people of New Milton access to support which can make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.”
Olly Leicester, Social Prescriber for the Coastal Medical Partnership said “The project is a joint effort between the town council, the New Milton Quaker House, Natasha Beatty’s Fresh Kitchen cookery school and the social prescribing team at Coastal Medical Partnership. The course is aiming to improve social, mental and physical health. So far, we’ve some very promising feedback…people losing weight, gaining confidence in the kitchen, developing friendships and generally feeling better about life!”
Any New Milton resident who is interested in attending a course should contact Olly Leicester – olly.leicester@nhs.net – or ask at their local surgery.
Further information available from:
Suna King
Town Development Manager
New Milton Town Council
Tel: 01425 619120
Email: suna.king@newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk
Website: www.newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk
Notes to Editors:
Losing weight is the best way of reducing risk of type 2 diabetes. In England, obese adults are five times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than adults of a healthy weight. Currently 90% of adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Public Health England
Without preventive action, one in 10 adults will have diabetes by the end of the decade.
Diagnoses of diabetes have doubled over the past 15 years, and there are currently almost 4.1 million people in the UK who have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Around 90% have type 2, of which key risk factors are obesity and high blood pressure. Diabetes UK forecasts that this number could rise to 5.5 million if current trends continue and warned of a “public health emergency”.
Research has consistently shown that for some people, combined lifestyle interventions – including diet, physical activity, and sustained weight loss – can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by about 50%.
Diabetes UK 2021