OLDER people in Birchwood are benefiting from a pilot project which aims to help them live a long and healthy life.

Patients at the area's medical centre are taking part in a falls management group' for over 75s which involves everything from physical activity to advice from medical experts and it is hoped that the scheme will be extended to include guest speakers from other organisations and specialities.

The planned expansion of the group coincides with the World Health Organisation's Global Embrace 2001 which takes place this Sunday, September 30 and has the theme Active Ageing: Exercising body and mind'.

The aim of the day is to promote the fact that regular physical activity improves both body and mind.

The Birchwood group is run by district nurse Rachel Bebb and health promotions specialist Carol Rowlinson.

Rachel said: "We meet weekly and though we are very small at the moment, we are hoping to expand.

"There are plans to get speakers from other agencies such as chiropodists, dieticians, firefighters, and physios.

"We are the pilot scheme for this project though we hope it will be expanded at a later date."