Health Action Day (HAD) is a yearly event that is free to the public. The first year had 280 visitors which has increased to 4,000, historically a 1 day event but due to its popularity 2011 will be a 2 - day event.

On Saturday 14th of May there will be over 60 stalls from health and fitness professionals giving advice on subjects to help improve the health and fitness of residents of Stevenage and the surrounding areas. Seminars are available on various health issues including heart disease; Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and Diabetes, the public are invited to take part/ watch sporting activities and to have health tests including BMI, BP, Lung function, Core stability and Chlamydia. There will also be healthy eating / cooking advice. The event is the perfect platform for organisations to launch an appeal, give information and create awareness: the BHF are to celebrate their 50th anniversary and to give presentations regarding their latest Stem Cell project.

On Sunday 15th plans are underway to launch an Aquathlon at the Stevenage Swimming Centre, working in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, which will be pitched so that it attracts novices and athletes. Come and Try sessions will be available in all of the Stevenage Leisure facilities- free of charge.

The Polish and Asian communities are expanding in the local area and the HAD commitee will be inviting representatives to have a stall supplying specific information to visitors where English is their second language We want to inspire people to take up physical activity and to do this we will be promoting different clubs who will be show casing their activities. The emphasis is on fun, visitors will be re-educated that physical activity is not a punishment as perceived by some with memories of school PE classes! We are hoping to have sufficient funding to enable us to invite an Olympic athlete to give a presentation on how young people can achieve their dreams of becoming a world-class athlete. The local Comet newspaper will be running competitions and the winner will be announced on the day and will also interview stallholders and presenters.

A specific HAD brochure is produced that has the timetable of the day and phone numbers of the health and fitness organisations to be involved on the day.

Stevenage has areas of deprivation: smoking and teenage pregnancies are the highest levels in the country, so we will be addressing these specific needs on the day alongside many other subjects. Removing these problems will improve social cohesion and subsequently reduce the demands placed on the NHS.

Though the provision of awareness and of the health and fitness organisations providing information the public will be able to make their own choices - thereby reducing the call on state services.