The two-week Healthy Ambitions Suffolk bus pilot scheme has now come to an end – and NHS Suffolk is delighted to report that feedback from pupils who got on-board has been extremely encouraging.

During the pilot the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk health bus went across the county to 14 schools to spread the message about healthy living. Some 1,600 pupils boarded the bus and took part in its activities – which included a welcome DVD, a smoothie bar, age progression software and a video pod – where they could record their health pledges in Big Brother style.

An impressive 97.5 per cent of the pupils want the health bus to come back to their school – and the teachers were equally impressed. A full 100 per cent of teachers strongly agreed the bus made a positive contribution to healthy lifestyle education, and they all added that a repeat visit would be useful.

Sally Hogg, head of health improvement partnerships at NHS Suffolk, said: “We’re delighted to hear this feedback. Childhood obesity is a ticking time bomb – already 14 per cent of 11-year-olds are currently classed as obese. Getting across the healthy living message to children and teens isn’t easy – so schemes like this are vital if we’re going to start reversing that trend.

“We’re already thinking of ways in which we can build on this success, and continue to get the message out to every pupil in Suffolk in a fun, interesting – and most importantly – effective way.”

Among feedback from pupils were comments such as “It was amazingly super awesome-tastic!”, “It’s wonderful I love it I want it to come back very soon”, “It was fantastic I loved the smoothies”, “It makes smokers think”, “It’s cool it should stay for longer”, “I like the design pictures, and I didn’t expect all the technology”, “I really liked it and found it useful”, “It’s really good and a good idea”, “It would be great for more people to get the experience”, “I enjoyed it! It makes you think about keeping healthy”, and “It was a good experience – and was quality.”

Pupils also received a goodie bag packed full of Healthy Ambitions Suffolk water bottles, pedometers and mobile phone charms, as well as information about where to get help, such as through the Suffolk Stop Smoking Service.

NHS Suffolk and the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk partnerships group would also like to extend their thanks to James White drinks and the East of England Co-operative for their help and generosity in sponsoring the smoothie bar.

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk strategy aims to make Suffolk the healthiest county in England by 2028 by cutting the number of preventable deaths and helping people to live a healthier lifestyle. Currently it has three main strands – children and young people, businesses and older people. More strands will be added in the future.

A wide range of partner organisations are working together on the initiative, which is driven by Suffolk Strategic Partnership. More information is available at www.healthyambitionssuffolk.nhs.uk