Council a leader in creating a healthier community

Cardinia Shire Council has been recognised as a leader in creating a healthier community, after being named the Victorian winner of the 2014 Heart Foundation Local Government Awards. Council was named the Victorian winner of the ‘Councils with populations greater than 15,000’ category.

A number of Council initiatives to improve the health of the Cardinia Shire community were highlighted including the ‘stop and drop zones’, to encourage students to be physically active on the way to school, and the Healthy Bites café program, to promote healthier food choices in cafes and restaurants.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Graeme Moore said Council was proud to be acknowledged for the hard work of staff in creating a healthier Cardinia Shire.

“Obesity and related illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, are on the rise and Council is committed to giving our residents the best chance at creating healthier lifestyles,” Cr Moore said.

“We have a large range of healthy initiatives implemented by a number of Council divisions and it is fantastic that this hard work has been recognised.

“The ‘stop and drop zones’ and the Healthy Bites program are just two of many fantastic ways Council is encouraging healthy behaviours in our schools and early childhood facilities, workplaces, local restaurants and sporting clubs.”

The Heart Foundation Local Government Awards celebrate the achievements of local government in creating healthy communities.

For more information about Council’s health and wellbeing initiatives, visit the ‘Health and wellbeing’ webpage.