Health Matters: Parents take on charity walk

Ten walkers, including Alison's parents, Christine and Gerry Matthews from Golcar, will walk 98 miles over eight days of the West Highland Way to raise money for MS Research. Anyone who wants to donate can visit www.justgiving.com/thewest highlandwaywalkers-christinematthews or send a donation to: The Alison Dobson Star Fund at the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Freepost 12519 Lon, London, NW2 6ND.

Healthy lunches

research from GE Capital highlights that 78 per cent of businesses in the North do nothing to encourage staff to eat healthily or facilitate and support their exercise efforts.

One in 50 (two per cent) do the bare minimum, and encourage their employees to take a lunch break and stretch their legs, and one in five (20 per cent) have an active scheme in place to encourage healthy eating and exercise.

The findings, which are based on interviews with the owners and managers of 500 SMEs across the UK, show that 40 per cent of businesses in the North lose at least 25 days each year due to employee health issues (compared with a UK average of 30 per cent).

Professor Paul Gately, Carnegie Professor of Exercise and Obesity, Leeds Metropolitan University, said: "Having a healthier workforce as a result of small firms offering more structured support will dramatically reduce the costs to UK SMEs, not to mention the benefits the employees will gain."

For the children

Staff at Calderdale Royal Hospital are planning to raise cash to help brave children.

A fundraising ball will be held at Berties in Elland this weekend in aid of the children's bravery award scheme.

Rebecca Pickering, who is organising the event, said: "The scheme makes such a difference to children when they are faced with something like a blood test or theatre. They are given stars for each procedure and when they have collected five can choose a toy.

"It is a bit of fun and distraction from what can often be a difficult time both for the children and parents."

Tickets for Saturday's event at Berties in Elland cost 35 and includes a bucks fizz reception, three-course meal, a raffle, disco and special guest.

Tickets: Danielle Brook 0782 555 4859 or Rebecca Pickering 0754 139 5469. Donations for raffle prizes are needed, please contact the above numbers.