HYNDBURN Council has received a Gold Award for improving the health of its staff.

The borough started its drive to promote fitness among its workforce through the East Lancashire Active Lives project in January last year.

Now its Up and Active programme has been given the top recognition by Lancashire County Council, which pays for and organises the overall scheme.

The Hyndburn programme includes physical activity, weight management and many other workplace health projects.

Joanne Wolfendale, Hyndburn Council’s human resources manager, leads the Workplace Health Awareness Team who are responsible for a number of health activities for staff, including Fruity Mondays, boxercise classes and a Friendly Faces scheme.

She said: “We are delighted to be the first business to receive the gold award and we will continue to work with staff to keep them healthy in the workplace.”

Hyndburn council leader, Cllr Miles Parkinson, said; “The workplace is a great place to engage people in health and we’d encourage businesses small and large to get involved with the Up and Active Team at Hyndburn Leisure."