Nominations now open for Victoria's health promotion heroes of 2013

Victorians are invited to nominate health promotion champions for the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Awards 2013, to be announced at a ceremony in Melbourne in December.

The Awards recognise innovative and successful health promotion work throughout Victoria. Applications are open to health, sporting, education, not-for-profit and community organisations, as well as all levels of government.

In line with VicHealth's new Action Agenda for Health Promotion, the 2013 categories are:

• Promoting healthy eating;
• Encouraging physical activity;
• Preventing tobacco use;
• Preventing harm from alcohol;
• Improving mental wellbeing;
• Communications in health promotion;
• Building health through sports;
• Building health through arts; and
• Knowledge and understanding.

Entries will be assessed based on their work between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013.

VicHealth CEO Jerril Rechter said the Awards recognise the value of health promotion's potential to save thousands of lives and millions of dollars through the prevention of chronic disease, and improving people's health and wellbeing.

"So often, the extraordinary work in health promotion slips under the radar because there tends to be a focus on treatments for illness. From major public awareness campaigns to programs in local sports clubs, health promotion provides ways for all Victorians to enjoy better health - to help everyone not only be free from disease, but live in a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing."

"Last year VicHealth celebrated 25 years of health promotion in Victoria - a state which is still leading the world in this area. This year we are continuing to recognise and encourage those who are making positive changes to the world around us and enabling people to increase control over, and improve their health.

"I encourage everyone whose work improves the health of Victorian's to enter the 2013 Awards and share their pioneering ideas and achievements with the rest of the state," said Ms Rechter.

Nominations close at 5pm, 13 September and should be submitted online at www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/awards where the full entry criteria is outlined. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 3 December 2013.

Self-nominations are accepted, as are nominations on another person or organisation's behalf. Nominations will be judged by a panel drawn from key health promotion and public health experts.