CLOSE to half a million pounds of lottery loot has been awarded to Eastleigh to set up a Healthy Living Network across the borough in a bid to help improve the health of local people.

Confirming the award, executive councillor Peter Wall told council colleagues: "We have worked for some years now on the issue of health in the borough.

"This borough put a major bid into the New Opportunities Fund for a Healthy Living Network and the £2-3m scheme has attracted almost a £500,000 grant."

The Eastleigh scheme will bring together a number of new and existing projects that help local people get the most out of life.

Projects include:

A home information support project. It will help elderly and housebound residents, reduce social isolation and improve access to information on health, social care, leisure, finance, benefits, transport and energy advice.

Three teenage drop-in centres providing advice for young people on sexual health, drugs and alcohol, bullying and relationship and family issues.

Schemes to improve parenting skills in vulnerable families, particularly for mothers suffering post-natal depression.

A project that aims to reduce back injuries in the workplace.

Cook-and-eat projects for those on a low budget.

Healthy neighbourhood projects working on housing estates to develop health projects with local residents.

Projects in the network that have already received funding include childcare, breakfast clubs, health walks, and a "homecheck" accident prevention scheme for the elderly.

Details about these and other activities included in the network are set to go on a new website to be launched over the next few months. In time, the site will also provide links to other sources of health information and facilities linked to 24 community-based Healthy Living Satellite Centres.

Healthy Living Network project director for Eastleigh Dr Christine Jackson said: "This is one of the most exciting health projects to be funded in the borough. I hope it will bring real health benefits for those who use it."

Cllr Wall told council colleagues a series of information packs would be produced over the next few weeks.