Celebrate Life Week Something well worth Celebrating!
Celebrate Life Week is about promoting positive health and well-being across the community; where people are encouraged, through a wide range of fun and informative activities, to take proactive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
This year (May 14th-18th, 2012), was our 5th time running the event, and it proved to be one of the most successful weeks to date, and a great example of effective community cooperation.
Nearly 1300 people engaged with over 30 events, as organised/facilitated by 26 participating organisations/groups across the Dublin 17 region and neighbouring communities. Celebrate Life Week is a timely initiative, responding to a growing need for health information and support, a need which is increasingly reflected in the public consciousness. Indeed the traditional difficulties associated with engaging the public on issues, or in activities, related to health and wellbeing, and in particular mental health, were less evident, and the extent and nature of local engagement in the various activities of CLW 2012 was very encouraging.
Some noteworthy new additions to this year’s programme of activities were ‘Safe Talk’ – a training programme which focuses on suicide prevention, awareness and skills, ‘Mindfulness’ and other new alternative/holistic taster sessions, and two introductory practical sessions on using a Defibrillator. Near FM reported an increased response from their audience, as the station covered various issues relating to health over the course of the week. As traditional by now, the week culminated in Celebrate Park Life a family fun day with witnessed the participation of the highest number of families to date, due in no small part to contribution of the Cadburys Spots v Strips team.
While circumstance are perhaps more challenging than ever for local people and organisations, it is encouraging that we have found a collaborative, sustainable and effective mechanism, for promoting and delivering meaningful information, support and activities, that on the whole, are being very well received by the local community. It is the ongoing commitment to this proven initiative that will best ensure our community remains proactive about promoting personal, family and community health into the future. It is therefore important to acknowledge all who got involved in making Celebrate Life week 2012 happen this year, to extend a big thank you along with an invitation to get involved again in 2013! » So a Big Thanks to ...
Special mention and thanks are required for Marion Mulvanny whose knowledge, skills and enthusiasm were once again a central to the success of the week.
Celebrate Life Week 2012 is about promoting positive health and well-being across the community. The event, now in its 4th year, is a great example of effective community cooperation, where people are encouraged, through a wide range of fun and informative activities, to take proactive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
This year’s event (May 14th-18th) will have an impressive range of over 35 different activities, including many of the previous favourites, so, if you have an interest in creative arts, alternative therapies, healthy outdoor activity, spiritual reflection, personal training or good old family fun in the park, then there is going to be something for you.
All events are free, and organisers are encouraging people to find something that is of interest to them and get involved, as their continued support is key to the success of the week. For more detail please see the Celebrate Life Week 2012 Schedule
April 18th – 22nd 2011
Promoting a Healthy Community
The Dublin 17 region will be experiencing something to ‘Celebrate’ when the popular health promotion event, ‘Celebrate Life Week’ rolls around again from April 18th – 22nd. Celebrate Life Week 2011 is all about promoting positive health (mental and physical) and encouraging people of all ages, through a wide range of fun, healthy and informative activities, to take positive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
This year’s event has many of the previous favourites such as the health checks, alternative therapies, fitness tests and the Celebrate Park Life, along with some new additions we hope people will find informative and fun. Find more information on our scheduled activitiesÂ
All events are free and people are encouraged to find something that is of interest to them and get involved! Your support is key to the success of the week.
History
Celebrate Life Week has developed in response to the concerns of many local organisations and individuals who were determined to take some positive action in reaction to the high levels of youth death and suicide in the area. In 2006 a loose collaboration of interested individuals and organisations formed the Positive Response Group and developed an action plan with key goals aimed at creating awareness and understanding of issues relating to youth death and suicide. Celebrate Life Week - promoting positive health through a very diverse range of activities, was one such goal and following the success of the first year it was decided to run the week as an annual event. One of the most encouraging and important elements of the week is the continued involvement and effort of many groups and organisations to do their bit to support the week; working together to coordinate the wide range of activities throughout the course of the week. Find out more about the organisations and groups involved in Celebrate Life Week 2011. Â
The Dublin 17 region experienced something to ‘Celebrate’ when the Positive Response Group (PRG), delivered the popular health promotion event, ‘Celebrate Life Week’ again this year from April 26th through to April 30th. Celebrate Life Week 2010 was all about promoting positive health (mental and physical) and encouraged people, through a wide range of fun and informative activities, to take proactive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
This year’s event had activities for all ages such as information talks, fitness activities, healthy food workshops, health check campaigns, alternative therapy sessions, as well as talent competitions and comedy. All events were free and people were encouraged to find something that was of interest to them and get involved!
Mick Ferron, Manager of the Sphere 17 Regional Youth Service and member of the Celebrate Life Week organising committee believes: “…the overwhelming success of Celebrate Life Week over the past three years has been the efforts and collaboration of local groups/organisations in the region to work together to coordinate the wide range of activities (21) throughout the course of the week and in particular, the number of local people who have come out to support the initiative.” Commenting on changed circumstances for people, Mr. Ferron added: “…that with all the economic woes and stresses of recent times, it is now more critical than ever to ensure that people are doing what they can to look after their own health, mental as much as physical, as well as the health of those close to them.”
Celebrate Life Week 26th-30th April 2010
Springtime, sunshine and that time of the year when once again thoughts turn to Celebrate Life Week and promoting positive mental and physical wellbeing. This year followed a similar pattern to the last two years. The Positive Response Group came together early in the year and started their plotting. The focus was on entertainment, fitness and informative events and activities.
The roll out of the week commenced with Near FM broadcasting live from the Darndale/Belcamp village centre. Along with some happy tunes, it highlighted the events of the week with a little something for everyone. There was chalk art for the budding young artists of Dublin 17, Comedy night, Dublin 17’s Got Talent, informative workshops on challenging topics such as Self Harm, Healthy food made easy, Health checks in Northside Shopping Centre and Donagmede Shopping Centre, Alternative Therapies, Yoga sessions, Soccer and a Gaelic Blitz courtesy of Parnells Football club. To boot we had visits from the Marie Keating Foundation, motivational talking from Leinster Rugby and suicide training (ASIST) taking place during the week. In addition, and a new venture in the week, Dr Harry Barry, Director of Aware kindly gave an interview on Near FM about depression and the GP role. Â In conjunction with this, a number of interesting professionals working in the area of education, medicine, youth work, mental health and alternative therapies came together to form a panel and discuss looking after your physical and mental health. To wrap up the week, Celebrate Park Life took place in the Stardust Memorial Park on Friday 30th April. However, the weather had another idea and as the party was getting started the heavens opened, but not before there was a chance to partake in the special “chocolate egg and spoon race”, two legged race, face painting and balloon making to name but a few. There was a great atmosphere thanks to our music duo, and despite the rain the party was finished back in Sphere 17 Darndale.
On reflection, Celebrate Life Week 2010 was another success. Those that engaged in the week most importantly had fun and not forgetting to have a laugh at ourselves and each other does help in combating the darkness. The week delivered in providing tools to help people look after themselves and each other. The success of the week has been the result of the efforts and collaboration of a number of organizations and the support of such events by the local community – young and old. In the current times, providing events such as this free of charge and believing in the spirit of Celebrate Life does indeed encourage hope and foster kindness in people. It also highlights the need to take responsibility for your own health and the community around you.
Overall 805 people and young people engaged in 20 different activities over the week.
A special thanks goes out to all those who got involved and gave their time to make the week the success that it was.
Special thanks to:
Dublin City Council for the support, advice and permission
Cadbury Ireland, for their chocolate and happy volunteers
MIC and Paul & Oisin for entertaining us with melody
Dee, Bernie and Martin for painting faces and twisting balloons
Pat McCabe Donaghmede S.C., Northside S.C. and CPN Seamus Henny for making the popular health checks happen
Irish Blood Transfusion Service
Marie Keating foundation Mobile Unit
Breffni McGuiness Irish Hospice Foundation
Parnells Football club coaches for their brilliant football Blitz
Leinster Rugby for motivation on and off the pitch
Alternative Therapy facilitators who were inundated
Linda Scanlon for the healthy food made easy
CTC who plied us with sambos
www.comedyireland.ie who made us laugh and Newtown House for giving us the space
Local schools, teachers, parents and the talented children who got involved with Dublin 17’s Got Talent
Dr Kay Inckle
Dr Harry Barry and staff of Aware
Our Celebrate Life Week Near FM panel, Dr John O’Dwyer, Breda Murray(OLI), John Maloney, Karen Connell, Steve Gregory(Therapist)
Aideen Schweppe(Yoga instructor)
Brian Duffy for his graphic designs
Near FM for their commitment and enthusiasm during the week
The staff of Sphere 17 RYS and the organising committee of CLW 2010 for making it possible to ‘engage, experience, enjoy’!
Please click
here
for more information on what CLW 2010 involved.
Thanks so much to everyone who has supported this initiative. Watch out for Celebrate Life Week 2011!
Celebrate Life Week 2009
The Dublin 17 region experienced something to ‘Celebrate’ when the Positive Response Group (PRG), organised the popular health promotion event, ‘Celebrate Life Week’ which ran this year from April 27th through to May 1st. CLW 2009 is one of the more effective and popular activities as it promotes positive health (mental and physical) and encourages people, through a wide range of activities, to take proactive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
This year some of the high-quality activities included an introduction to alternative therapies, ‘Stand Up To The Blues’ comedy night, street art and drama productions, health and fitness checks, and the various information and training seminars.
Mick Ferron, Manager of Sphere 17 Regional Youth Service and a member of the Positive Response Group believes
“…the overwhelming success of Celebrate Life Week 2009 is the collaboration of more than 25 local groups/organisations in the region who worked together to coordinate over 30 different activities throughout the course of the week” and it was this that led to
“… more than 1100 people in total being able to ‘engage, experience, enjoy’ as recommended by our Celebrate Life Week Posters!”.
The week was brought to a close with ‘Celebrate Park Life’ – a community picnic event in Stardust Memorial Park where an estimated 250 young people and families engaged in some traditional games and activities to remind us all of the simple pleasures of our local parks. Roll on Celebrate Life Week 2010.
Celebrate Life Week, now in its second year, is supported, and made possible, only by the numerous individuals and organisations who generously give of their time and resources to enhance the range and quality of activities. And here is our welcome opportunity to name and credit them specifically:
So a big thanks to …
Northside Area Rapid Programme for the financial support
Dublin City Council for the support, advice and permission and Coolock Garda for coming along
Cadbury Ireland for rooms, chocolate and happy volunteers
Ross, MIC and Paul & Oisin for entertaining us with melody
Trom Cheile and Martin for painting faces and twisting balloons
Aware for info stands, training and supporting our week
Pat McCabe Donaghmede S.C., Diarmuid Martin Northside S.C. and CPN Seamus Henny for making the popular health checks happen
Irish Blood Transfusion Service for coming out and taking our blood!
Leinster Rugby for motivation on and off the pitch
Caroline McGuigan and Eileen Tatschl from SOS for sharing and inspiring
Margaret Curran for helping us to connect with young people emotionally
Pieta House for information on their services
Alternative Therapy facilitators who were inundated
Civic Centre, St. Josephs’ Hall, The Glin Centre and the Outreach Centre who said yes
Life coaches who helped us reflect
CTC who plied us with sambos
Life Force Drama who engaged and Delores and Karin for being on hand
Adrenalin Youth Theatre, with the support of Helen and Melissa who entertained
Celebrate Life Week is about promoting positive health and well-being across the community; where people are encouraged, through a wide range of fun and informative activities, to take proactive steps to look after themselves and others in their community.
The Dublin 17 region will be experiencing something to ‘Celebrate’ when the popular health promotion event, ‘Celebrate Life Week’ rolls around again from April 18th – 22nd. Celebrate Life Week 2011 is all about promoting positive health (mental and physical) and encouraging people of all ages, through a wide range of fun, healthy and informative activities, to take positive steps to look after themselves and others in their community..gif){kind=link}