GOGA in Action wins Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative award

Get Out Get Active (GOGA) in Action in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is named overall winner for Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative at this year’s Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.

Held last month, the APSE Awards are specific to frontline services provided by UK local authorities and aim to promote and celebrate outstanding achievement and innovation within this sector.

After the GOGA programme officially came to an end in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon areas in 2020, its legacy and important work lives on, thanks to funding from local partners.

Involving a range of partners and local volunteers, GOGA targets the hardest to reach, least active disabled and non-disabled people in inclusive fun activities together, such as Tai Chi for Health, Buggy Fit, Nordic Walking, and GOGA Fit.

We are thrilled that this GOGA in Action project has been recognised in the Association of Public Service Excellence Awards. It’s a delight to see the Get Out Get Active programme continuing to bring diverse places, partnerships, and people together through genuinely inclusive activity through the legacy that is GOGA in Action. Huge congratulations to the GOGA team in Northern Ireland for continuing to create healthier and happier communities in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.

Kat Southwell, Head of Programmes at Activity Alliance 

We are so pleased to have the partnership work of Disability Sport NI and Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council recognised and rewarded at the APSE Awards.  Winning in the Best Health and Well-being Initiative category is testament to how the GOGA approach has been embraced and embedded in the area when engaging inactive disabled and non-disabled people, changing attitudes and improving health and well-being on a long term basis.  Congratulations to the staff, partners, volunteers and participants who have been involved in delivering and growing this tremendous programme over the past 5 years on your success.

Kevin O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer of Disability Sport NI

We are delighted to receive these awards in recognition of the GOGA In Action programme in the ABC area. We are especially thankful to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for continuing to support the initiative into its sixth year. We have created some excellent partnerships both locally and nationally. Partners like Cedar Foundation have embraced the programme and helped ensure it success. 

The programme would not be where it is today with the work of our committed volunteers who assist with the delivery and admin at activities and are continuously championing the programme in the community. Most importantly, we’d like to thank our participants who have helped create an inclusive, supportive and welcoming GOGA community.

Ryan McQuillan, Live Active NI Recreation Officer