From fitness and food to music and massage all under one roof at the new Alum Rock Community Health Fair!

Huge array of health and wellbeing information on offer alongside exciting mix of entertainment and activities at three-day fair

High profile visits expected from a Birmingham City FC player and a senior member of the Government

From expert health advice to cooking demonstrations, henna art and live music, there is something for everyone at the new three-day Alum Rock Community Health Fair, being held on the site of the new £15 million Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre development in Clodeshall Road, Saltley from Monday 4 October to Wednesday 6 October 2010.

Open daily from 10am to 5pm, residents in Washwood Heath, Saltley and Hodge Hill are invited to visit the three-day event, the first of its kind in the area, to learn more about the wide spectrum of health related services available to the community.

Information will be offered on subjects like healthy eating, keeping active, breastfeeding, stopping smoking and weight control. In addition there will be advice and support on the prevention and treatment of conditions such as diabetes, asthma, postnatal depression, genetic disorders, cardiovascular disease, bronchitis and emphysema. Presentations will explore the link between spirituality and health, while other sessions will look more specifically at womens health issues. Plus, the Health Bus will be on hand to carry out simple, practical health checks.

The event has been organised by Oakleaf Health Surgery, NHS Birmingham East and North (BEN), Birmingham and Solihull Local Improvement Finance Trust (BaS LIFT) and members of the local community, with support from specialist developer Prime plc, construction company Mansell, project manager Mott MacDonald and the Conservative Party. There will be yoga sessions, karate displays, cooking demonstrations led by regional chefs, face painting for youngsters and much more! Entertainment will be provided by the UK's most versatile Nasheed band Aashiq al-Rasul.

Dr Mohammed Waheed, GP at Oakleaf Health Surgery, said: "The fair is a really exciting opportunity to inspire and encourage all of us to look after our physical and mental wellbeing. Its a unique occasion for the local community to sample a variety of quality stalls, talks and activities to help us to manage our own health positively and confidently. Despite the local area performing poorly in most parameters in life, including health, I hope the fair will show that, despite the odds, we can all make a change for the better."”

With high profile visits anticipated from a player from Birmingham City Football Club and a senior member of the Government (details to be confirmed), the fair promises to be a major event for the local community and beyond.

Paul Sabapathy, Chairman of NHS Birmingham East and North (NHS BEN), said: "This three-day event looks set to be fun-filled as well as bringing together a wide range of advice on maintaining good health and wellbeing. It is important that communities hold events like this as lifestyle changes have impacted on health. Conditions such as diabetes and obesity are on the increase in the Washwood Heath area, which also has an above national average proportion of young people. It’s vital that we make the most of every opportunity to inform and encourage people to make positive lifestyle choices earlier in life, for example, by eating more healthily.”

The fair is being held in the grounds of Washwood Heath Health and Wellbeing Centre, which is currently under construction. The new, three storey 3,920 m2 primary care centre, developed by BaS LIFT and Prime plc in partnership with NHS BEN, will bring an innovative collaboration of health, wellness, social support and voluntary services together under one roof. The aim is to ensure a holistic approach to healthcare delivery where the patient population can access a wide range of services that help meet the whole needs of the individual.

Richard Cutler, development director at Prime plc, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this event. It is vital that we regenerate buildings and facilities to support the delivery of modern professional health care. But it's equally as important that we ensure communities know just how much help and support is available to them, and how to access it. Events like the Alum Rock Community Health Fair play a major role in raising awareness and encouraging local residents to really make use of the growing range of services on offer to them."