Healthy Valleys – who work closely with South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership – have been awarded a brace of top awards for vital work in communities across Clydesdale.

The community-led health initiative, established in 2003, was recently awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service as well as the Community Impact Award at the Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards.

The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service is the highest merit that can be given to volunteer groups across the UK.  It recognises the value and commitment organisations have in involving volunteers to support and strengthen communities.

Lesley McCranor, Executive Manager of Healthy Valleys, explained the double accolades are testament to the hard work that goes into achieving the charity’s vision, which is to reduce health inequalities, promote positive lifestyles and improve health and wellbeing in rural South Lanarkshire communities.

“Healthy Valleys staff and, crucially, our volunteers provide a wide range of support to individuals, families, children and older people in villages and towns far and wide across Clydesdale. "From leading health walks to teaching cooking skills, supporting attendance to healthcare appointments or social activities, providing counselling and therapies and leading games and activities, our people are an essential part of the fabric of community life and wellbeing.”

Healthy Valleys is also closely aligned and a key participant in SLHSCP’s Building and Celebrating Communities (BCC) programme.

A key aim of BCC is to explore how more space can be generated for communities to create the things that matter – and how the partnership can support these activities if need be.

Lesley added:  “We believe that communities are not the problem, but the solution. "Health is about more than the physical and mental state of a person. It includes wider determinants including housing, environment, social networks and culture. We work with, and alongside, communities to address their health needs in a holistic fashion – and we are committed to doing so.”

Val de Souza, Director of Health and Social Care for South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Sincere congratulations to Healthy Valleys for their sterling work that’s not only winning awards but driving excellent outcomes for people across Clydesdale.  "The organisation’s work is a fine example of grass root level support in action and chimes with our partnership’s vision: Working together to improve health and wellbeing in the community – with the community.”

Healthy Valleys provide a wide range of activities and services. Visit: http://www.healthyvalleys.org.uk/index.php for more info.