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Tresham College first college in the county to be awarded the Healthy Schools Bronze Award

Healthy colleges award -Tresham

Tresham College, part of The Bedford College Group, has become the first further education establishment in Northamptonshire to be awarded the Healthy Schools Bronze Award.

This demonstrates their commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of students and staff.

The North Northamptonshire Healthy Schools Bronze Award is a set of evidence-based standards which are designed to improve the health and wellbeing of whole school/ college communities. It promotes a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, healthy eating, physical activity and PSHE.

Healthy colleges award -Tresham
Addressing the health and wellbeing of young people

Councillor Gill Mercer, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing said:

“The Healthy Schools Awards programme is designed to address the health and wellbeing of young people, using a whole school or college approach to active lives, healthy food, emotional health and wellbeing, as well as personal, social and health education.

“I know that Tresham College already had an ethos of promoting healthy lifestyle choices for their students, and staff involved have worked hard on increasing this. That commitment and hard work is recognised in these Healthy Schools Bronze Awards for each of their campuses. 

 “I am delighted that Tresham College has become the first of our North Northamptonshire Colleges to achieve the Bronze Healthy Schools Award and hope that this inspires others to aspire to do the same.”

Raising awareness

Tresham College, which has campuses based in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, implemented a number of initiatives across the three locations to encourage healthy eating, improve physical activity and support mental health and wellbeing.

Unlike school children, college students are young adults who have more control and influence over their lifestyle and what they eat. The College has developed a campaign which focussed on raising awareness of healthy food choices and making food swaps to encourage a healthier diet. This was introduced alongside a drive to get students to move more during the day with extra lunchtime sports clubs provided.

Tresham College also enhanced its Tutorial Programme and as part of that, all students now have access to counselling services if they need it.

The leadership team at The College are already planning to go for the silver award with the introduction of a new Peer Education project where students will learn how to teach others about health and wellbeing.

Healthy College award
Helping each individual thrive

Robin Webber-Jones, Principal of Tresham College said:

“We are very proud that we are the first further education provider to get this award. We worked alongside the Healthy Schools team in Northamptonshire to adapt the assessment process to make it more applicable to further education establishments. For example we can’t check what our students have in their lunchboxes, we need to influence and educate our young adults to make healthier choices for themselves. The response from students and staff has been extremely positive and next up we are going for silver.”

Camille Hulett, Learner Mentor at Tresham College added:

“There has been a huge amount of work put into this by the team at Tresham College. It has taken a year to complete the assessment and has undoubtedly made a difference to our students and staff. Their health and wellbeing is the most important thing to us and will help each individual thrive in their education and their lives outside of the college.”

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