The GAA has launched a first phase of an initiative with the HSE aimed at improving the health of club members across the country.
24 clubs who put themselves forward to participate in the ‘GAA Healthy Club Project‘ which will run over an initial 24 month period.  The campaign is aimed at improving the health of mebers in GAA clubs, whether playing or not, as well as reaching out through clubs to the broader community.
The campaign is in part a response to requests from clubs for guidance in the area of health promotion and will include advice and resources to promote healthy eating and diet; drug and alcohol awareness; mental well-being and resilience development; suicide prevention and response; the promotion of health and wellbeing through physical activity and activities for older and non-playing members
“The GAA Healthy Club Project aims to highlight and re-enforce the great work already being done by clubs while assisting them in identifying and responding to the most important health issues amongst their membership and in their communities,” said GAA President Liam O’Neill.
“This collaboration is an extension of the long-standing partnership between the Health Sector and the GAA through the Association’s ASAP (Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention) Programme, and we hope this project will further assist clubs and their communities to respond to their health needs in a holistic way at grass roots level,” added Dr. Tony Holohan of the HSE.
The project will be independently evaluated after the initial two year trial period and will be overseen by a steering group including representatives of the GAA, HSE, National Office of Suicide Prevention, the third level education sector and the Irish Sports Council.
The initiative deserves to succeed tapping into the natural role clubs have within communities as centres of sport and the associated fitness benefits.
Clubs with hall facilities run a variety of different fitness campaigns, especially in the winter months and can use these as a way of building community outreach, general health for members and even as a fundraising initiative spurred by national events like Operation Transformation on RTE.
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