Sustrans honoured in new public health awards

Sustrans has been honoured for its work at a ceremony to launch a new public health awards programme.

The Bristol-based charity received a bronze award ahead of around 150 health organisations at the first Chief Medical Officer’s Public Health Awards for its success in helping people to lead more active lives, encouraging then to walk and cycle more of their everyday journeys.

The seven shortlisted finalists also included the Health and Economic Appraisal Tool for cycling (HEAT) developed by researchers including Sustrans’ Research and Monitoring Director Andy Cope – making Sustrans the only organisation to be represented twice.

Malcolm Shepherd, Chief Executive of Sustrans, said: “It is fantastic for a charity not directly working in the health sector to have this level of recognition. Our work over the past 30 years has allowed millions of people to travel more actively, which has a huge impact on peoples’ health. We are pleased that we have been recognised – it will be a great aid to our continuing work in promoting walking and cycling.”

Sustrans Active Travel Director Philip Insall said: “We are thrilled with this award because it underlines the growing awareness of how vital walking and cycling is to people’s health. The award scheme covers the whole wide realm of public health so it is testimony to the work Sustrans is doing that we are being recognised alongside these other outstanding organisations striving to improve people’s quality of life.

“Among the greatest health risks facing us today are ‘lifestyle diseases’ caused by poor nutrition and sedentary living in car-dominated towns and cities – Sustrans is offering the solutions to the latter.”

FRESH - Smoke Free North East was awarded gold at the ceremony and Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) – the British group persuading food companies to reduce the salt content of processed food – took silver.