Christians, Muslims and Sikhs team up for a healthier lifestyle

"Health preachers" are taking the message of better health to East London's faith communities. A pioneering partnership between faith groups, a primary care trust and a local strategic partnership is sending them out to promote health awareness, health services and healthier lifestyles.

Some 15 enthusiasts from the London Borough of Waltham Forest's Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities have graduated from a ten-week training programme provided by the Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust and funded by the Waltham Forest Together local strategic partnership. It is the first programme of its kind in the UK.

The programme was coordinated by Father Steven Saxby, Vicar of St Peter's-in-the-Forest, Walthamstow, and organised by the Borough's Faith Communities Forum.

The Bishop of Barking, The Rt Revd David Hawkins, has commented: "There are important links between faith and health in each of our faith traditions and it is very good to see people from diverse communities working together to encourage believers to see their health as a faith issue."

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