A pilot program aimed at educating parents, grandparents, and carers to make healthier lifestyle choices is to be launched at Yamba Public School at the start of Term 3, 2016. The Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSW LHD) Clarence Valley Community Health team has joined forces with CRANES Community Support Programs to provide a 10-week free program focusing on better health and wellbeing for members of the community. The Chronic Disease Management Coordinator for Maclean Community & Allied Health, Haley Corbett said the program was open to all parents, grandparents and carers of young families. “The program aims to help parents, grandparents and carers make informed choices for them and their children to combat the increasing rise of younger people developing chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, pulmonary disease, depression, and anxiety,” Ms Corbett said. The program will run each Wednesday morning at Yamba Public School Hall from 20 July to 21 September 9.15am to 10.30am. “The program offers a diverse range of speakers including a personal trainer, a Drug and Alcohol Psychologist, Paediatric Occupational Therapist, a cardiac nurse, an asthma and respiratory educator, a nutritionist, diabetes educator, as well as topics including domestic violence and mental health,’ Ms Corbett said. “By targeting carers of children the aim is to encourage adults to be healthy role models which set good foundation for children to make healthier choices into adulthood. “The hope is by running these programs at schools, we are capturing the right audience in an environment that gives these groups the best opportunity to attend.” For further information on the program, contact Haley Corbett on 6640 0123 or 0409 549 427.