An evaluation study conducted by Centra charity partner Action Cancer has found that primary school children as young as four have a better understanding of healthy lifestyles after taking part in its health promotion puppet show.
Before the show, which is part of Action Cancer's Health Action programme sponsored by Centra and its independent retailers, 30% of P1s and P2s understood that active play was good for them. This increased to 55% after the show. Running as a healthy form of exercise was identified by 25% more children after the sessions.
Action Cancer’s unique curriculum-focussed Health Action programme delivers health promotion sessions, centred around cancer prevention and early detection, to over 30,000 young people every year. The award-winning Action programme is supported by Centra retailers across the province, who have raised more than £650,000 to fund the project over the past eight years.
Michael Carson (5) and Olivia Duffy (6), St. John the Baptist PS, Finaghy, demonstrate the Wally and Wise puppets for Action Cancer Health Promotion Manager Emily Magrath, left, and Centra Marketing Assistant Jennifer Morton.
