STAFF at Bolton Mail Centre have won an award after reducing sickness and improving health at work.

The team at the centre in Stonehill Road, Farnworth, have won the Groundwork Bolton and Bury Healthy Lives award.

They were nominated after focusing on reducing the levels of illness and improving the health of employees at a series of events.

In April, more than 300 employees attended a health fair, which featured experts from Bolton Primary Care Trust (PCT), offering full health checks and advice on stopping smoking, food and nutrition and alcohol awareness.

Several staff are being trained by the PCT to become health trainers and are expected to qualify early next year.

Mary Wilson, Royal Mail community co-ordinator for Cumbria and Lancashire, said: “We have worked really hard to bring outside agencies like the PCT into the mail centre to speak with staff to help improve their health, so to receive this recognition is wonderful.”