Adur & Worthing Councils promotes Happy Hearts for Healthier Lives 
In 2016 the British Heart Foundation presented Adur & Worthing Councils Families & Wellbeing Officer Tammy Waine a Heart Hero award, in recognition for her work in local schools raising heart health awareness and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Her Happy Hearts initiative is a programme of classes for local school, devised just over 4 years ago following reports that Adur had a higher than national average rate of cardiovascular disease.
Tammy’s award winning six week programme of interactive and fun one hour lessons were made possible thanks to a substantial funding award from the British Heart Foundation and although that funding is now no longer available her innovative work continues through the Councils, and is now being made more widely available for all Primary school pupils in Worthing.
Any Primary School in Worthing interested in this programme are encouraged to contact Tammy directly at tammy.waine@adur-worthing.gov.uk for further details.
Feedback from pupils and parents in Adur, for 2015-16, has just been collated and the data proves that by educating 7-13 year olds on the benefits of healthy eating and embracing exercise as a long term lifestyle choice can effectively change the health and wellbeing for the whole family and once these pupils reach adulthood may well produce further data that shows reduced rates of heart disease in the region.
Teacher - Ali Champion, Durrington Primary School
The Happy Hearts Programme gave my pupils a real insight into how to live a healthier lifestyle. They enjoyed multi-sensory experiences, rewards and challenges which made them fully engage and love their learning. The sessions were also rounded up beautifully by celebrating the children's achievements with parents and carers during a special assembly which really helped families at home become involved with the children's learning and healthy living lifestyles - which for a young age group is vital.”
Parent - Pauline Hannon, North Lancing
My daughter (7) often refers to what she is eating and trying new foods (this was something she struggled with before) after taking part in Tammy’s Happy Hearts sessions at her primary school, when she was 5.
Mia still reminds me that she should only eat sugary things as a ‘sometimes’ food and that she needed to eat ‘rainbow’ foods to get all the right stuff her body needs. The fact that she could recall those lessons over 2 years later shows how good the programme is and that catching children young, is so effective.”
Councillor David Simmons, Adur District Council Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing adds “The award to Tammy Waine from The British Heart Foundation is well earned, and the impact she has made with her Healthy Hearts Programme and the ‘Grub Club’ which also encourages young people not only to choose healthy food, but also prepare and cook it, speaks volumes for her commitment and innovation. She has achieved remarkable results in helping to shape the attitudes of young people and their families which not only addresses the need for healthy eating, but also addresses the issues of obesity and the need for exercise. Her legacy will be for the changes she has encouraged to continue into the future and help reduce serious illness in the longer term.”
Councillor Valerie Turner, Worthing Borough Council Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing adds “Tammy’s tireless work over the past four years is indeed impressive, as these testaments from parents, teachers and pupils confirm. To be able to engage and educate the younger members of our population in adopting and maintaining healthy choices, and for them in turn to take lessons learnt and encourage their own family members to adopt healthy and preventative health measures is possibly the most potent way of encouraging healthier habits for us all and lowering the risk of heart disease in the future.”