New member wins Healthy Workplace Award amidst stiff competition

Woodvale has beaten of stiff competition to win the Healthy Workplace Award at the Derry-Londonderry Business Awards 2012. The awards ceremony was held on Friday 1st June in the City Hotel. Sabrina Dunne, Manager of Derry Healthy Cities Initiative, and Richard Smith, Woodvale’s Health and Safety Manager, worked together to devise a health promotion campaign for site staff. Initially a healthy breakfast was hosted for staff and this was followed by health checks by an occupational health nurse. Over the next few months we held training sessions on topics ranging from cancer awareness to smoking cessation.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, The Public Health Agency, said: “Workplaces not only provide employment and financial stability but also motivation, satisfaction and a sense of pride, purpose and identity for those employed. This in turn contributes to positive health, wellbeing and quality of life. 

“The Public Health Agency was set up to tackle health inequalities and does this in partnership with many organisations, including businesses. I am delighted to present the PHA sponsored ‘Healthy Workplace Award’ and congratulate Woodvale Construction, along with the other shortlisted businesses.

“Woodvale Construction has worked closely with Foyle Health @ Work, the PHA funded service that supports local businesses to develop and improve their work-based health and wellbeing initiatives”.

Picture, (L-R): Sinead Mc Laughlin, Chamber; Jim Roddy, City Centre Initiative; Dr Eddie Rooney, PHA; Richard Smith, Woodvale Construction; Brian Kelly, Woodvale Construction; Sabrina Dunne, Derry Healthy Cities and Padraig Canavan, Chamber.