High Sheriff of Cheshire meets amazing volunteers

Press Release: High Sheriff of Cheshire meets the amazing and dedicated volunteers who help run The Heath’s community programme

Runcorn: August 1st, 2024: Clare Hayward MBE, The High Sheriff of Cheshire, has praised the ‘amazing’ volunteers who run the Eat@TheHeath Community Group at The Heath Business and Technical Park in Runcorn.

Visiting the site on Wednesday, July 31st, Mrs Hayward said it was important to recognise the efforts of the volunteers because of the time they give up running the popular community programme and ‘their energy, vision and passion’.

Eat@TheHeath Community Group, sponsored by site owners SOG Ltd, was originally set up to combat loneliness and isolation for the elderly and those who live alone during the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, SOG wanted to keep its local community connected and launched an interactive website, ‘HeathLive’ to engage with people through the Lockdowns.

In recent years Eat@TheHeath has evolved with events for up to 200 people who live in the community surrounding The Heath. As well as monthly lunches and music sessions, which provide a platform for local people to meet, there are also weekly gatherings with community forums on topical subjects and a chance to engage with the local Police Community Support officers who have an office at The Heath.

SOG has even bought a minibus to provide free transport for any elderly people who cannot get to the site under their own steam.

The High Sheriff met the volunteers behind Eat@TheHeath and also visited The Heath’s Community Garden and saw a special ‘Rainbow Memorial’ that commemorates the sterling efforts to defeat Covid.

Mrs Hayward said she thought she was going to meet five people but was surprised to see so many volunteers who work tirelessly to run the community programme. She said it was great to see so many smiling faces, adding: “It looks as if it’s a place where everybody feels happy and confident and safe.”

The weekly gatherings are organised by Eileen Miller and Alison Albion from The Heath’s Community Team.

Eileen, The Heath’s Site Charter and Community Manager, says: “All our events would not be possible without the support of all of our fantastic volunteers including my stalwarts, 86-year-old Eileen Erlis, who is also my mum, Gill Banks, Ann Varty and Sue Wood. These ladies attended our first session and have helped us ever since.”

John Lewis MBE, owner of The Heath, adds: “We are immensely grateful that The High Sheriff could visit and meet the remarkable volunteers who help to ensure that our programme is such a success, and is enjoyed by so many local people. Our aim was to introduce regular events to get elderly people and those living alone out of their homes and into an environment where they can meet others and make new friends and acquaintances, and I’m delighted that it has become such a big success.”

Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire Paula Williams also joined the celebrations along with representatives of some of the leading companies that operate from The Heath Business and Technical Park.

About The Heath
The Heath Business and Technical Park is a phenomenal regeneration success story. Formed in 2000, its owner and operator, SOG Ltd, has transformed a once single occupancy corporate facility into a thriving independent business park. The Heath now provides office and laboratory accommodation for around 120 individual organisations, ranging from business services and IT specialists to those at the cutting edge of science, research and advanced manufacturing. The Heath supports around 2,000 jobs. For further information, telephone 01928 515988 or visit www.theheath.com

For more information on SOG’s plans to transform the location into ‘Heath Park’, a Net Zero environment in which to live, work and play visit www.heathpark-uk.com

Issued on behalf of The Heath Business and Technical Park,
Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QX – Part of the SOG Group

Media contact:
Paul Smith Associates (PSA) 07771 623 007
E-mail: paul@paulsmithassociates.co.uk