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Counting the success of Big Sunday

Febuary 17, 2006

The Big Sunday attracted more than 32,000 people and now it is clear that the event will continue to benefit Newham for years to come.
Organiser Newham Civic Partnership can reveal outstanding facts and figures from the day that show just how well it went in many different ways.

Of those who visited many spent time in the different zones which were hosted by Newham Council, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and the Olympic Delivery Authority, police and health services, schools, the University of East London, job and training agencies, among others.

They each had different messages to give and the results of their work are now becoming evident.

Among them were the community zone's fostering and adoption team. They had 50 people fill in cards asking for details about fostering and 16 people for adoption - the equivalent to about nine weeks' worth of enquiries.

The safety zone encouraged 736 people to pledge, 'I want Newham to be a safer place to live and work. I pledge to report anti-social behaviour when I see it', 535 people pledged, 'I believe everyone has the right to live peacefully. I pledge to have respectful relationships with my neighbours', and 249 people pledged, 'I want the area I live in to be clean. I pledge not to drop litter or dump rubbish on the streets.'

Other figures reveal:

  • 350 people had a health check, of which 25 per cent needed referral to their GP in relation to high blood pressure or high sugar levels
  • 60 people signed up to the NHS stop smoking service
  • 50 women volunteered to train as birth and breast feeding support buddies - almost doubling the current number
  • Job agency First Call signed up 100 new clients
  • 50 people were given CV advice
  • 1,260 people asked for details about their local park
  • Around 30 people signed up for the peer education programme which uses young people to tell other youngsters about sexual health and contraception
  • More than 120 parents were given information about children's services and after school clubs
  • More than 1,000 people gave information about the best aspects of the place they live in
  • 40 people asked for advice about health and safety issues at work.
Chairman of Newham Civic Partnership, which hosted The Big Sunday, Sir Robin Wales said: "These figures are outstanding and are a good reflection of the inspiration The Big Sunday has been to residents of Newham and the drive behind the people who live here.

"I am very proud of this borough and by working together in this way we can continue to strive to make it better."

The Big Sunday was held at ExCeL, in the Royal Docks, on February 5. See pictures.


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