Hundreds of people flocked to the very first health expo organised by Glasgow Seventh-day Adventist Church since lockdown. This event took place on 2nd and 3rd July 2023 on Argyle Street, one of the busiest areas in the city centre. Dozens of church members volunteered to promote health and wellbeing under the supervision of Claudette Comerasamy, the leader for Glasgow Church Health Ministry’s department.
The team of volunteers comprised of health professionals and trained paraprofessionals offering to measure people’s height, weight, BMI, peak flow, blood pressure, and more. The information was analysed by the IT team and visitors were able to get a printout of their health results following which they were offered personalised advice on how to improve their health and lifestyle. Children were also actively involved handing out bottles of water, fruit, and free literature on health & wellness.
Sarah was among the many people who excitedly expressed her gratitude toward the event.
“This is very good…I learned how to look after myself, eat the right food and exercise, and have a healthy lifestyle. Such events should be run more often.”
Another visitor, wishing to stay anonymous said: ”I am absolutely delighted that I came into this tent as I now know everything about myself and what I can do to improve my life. I am so pleased and will tell everybody, my friends, my family and others to come and experience this as well. I am over the moon as not everyone cares for me like what I experienced today. I will do all what I have been asked to do today to improve my health.”
Church member Adina Lupu, a first-time volunteer, said that it had been a blessing to have been able to engage with the community and meet a variety of people with complex needs as well as experience what working together as a church means. To her and also others, the highlight of the event was the engagement of children who were well trained and willing to serve.
The children themselves said to have enjoyed every bit of the Health Expo. One boy named Nathanenjoyed talking to people. He also revealed that many were curious and wanted to know more about the organisation. Another boy named Jared said this had been a wonderful and memorable experience for him and he only wished it had lasted longer.
Church member Dorothy Lennox from the ‘Meet and Greet’ team said she was grateful to have attended the Health Expo and was pleased to note the willingness of people to lead more healthier lifestyles.
Despite the wet weather, many people turned up. Some were interested in learning more about healthy ways of cooking and so the local church is already considering running cooking classes for the community. Some visitors who were discovered to have high blood pressure were encouraged to see a GP.
Glasgow SDA Church Pastor Claudiu Popescu, who was part of the review team, revealed that most of the people were shocked to find out that their health age is much higher than their biological age, however, they did accept that it wasn’t surprising given their lifestyle choices.
In the past, Glasgow has had a reputation for ill health with an alarmingly high mortality rate. It is, therefore, crucial for initiatives like the Glasgow Health Expo to occur more frequently, ensuring that individuals take appropriate action to enhance their health and mitigate the risk of mortality.
Claudette Comerasamy, the event manager, extends her gratitude to the entire team and expresses her delight at the positive reception and appreciation received for the Health Expo. It is evident that the Health Expo has played a pivotal role in serving the community, aligning with our divine duty to care for others, reach out to people, and meet their needs.
