A NEW free health management programme has been launched for families in Shoebury.

Time for Us has been set up by Southend-based company, Active Life for a Healthier You, and is designed for families who are eligible for the food bank service in Shoebury. The weekly programme is held at Shoebury and Thorpe Bay Baptist Church, on Thorpedean Gardens, and covers topics such as healthy eating, developing confidence, decisionmaking and positive thinking.

Tina Adlam, from Active Life, said: “Time for Us is for ordinary mums and dads, many of whom are eligible to use the fantastic food bank service at the church.

The sessions are for all abilities and are all about being healthier, meeting new friends and having fun.”

The sessions run on Wednesday, from 9.30am until 11.30am, and consist of an hour of fitness exercise, followed by an hour of health-related talks. The programme is part of a major initiative in the East of England which is being managed by an organisation called Enable East, and funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

Big Lottery Funding will fund a total of 22 projects in the East of England.