Mens Health Fund
The Men's Health Fund was launched in 2002 with funding from the William Leech Charitable Fund to raise awareness and increase positive attitudes about healthy lifestyles for men.
The Fund is carrying out a five-year programme of health promotion campaigns aimed at men, in partnership with the Tyne & Wear Health Action Zone. It features Idle Eric, the campaign mascot, created by VIZ.
The '40 Not Out Campaign' was the initial project set up by the Fund. It surveyed men aged 40 in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and then encouraged them to take part in an exercise programme at their local leisure centre.
In 2003 the "It's Never Too Late Campaign", raised awareness of men's health through radio marketing, adverts on the Metro and on buses and through the Metro Radio Website.
In 2004 we promoted walking as an easy, fun and cheap form of exercise.
The Fund has also made a number of small grants of £2,000 or less to support healthy living programmes for men run by local community groups.
The Fund is no longer awarding grants but continues to run campaigns and Idle Eric will be on hand to help launch Men’s Health Week at The Sage, Gateshead in June 2007.
The Idle Eric character was created for the first campaign and has remained the mascot for the campaign ever since, gradually toning up and slimming down as the years go by!
For more information visit www.idleeric.co.uk
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