A £97,000 grant will encourage dales workers to take up exercise by funding a physical activity co-ordinator.
The money is from an Active England Initiative, backed by Sport England and the Big Lottery Fund.
The Durham Dales Primary Care Trust will use it to target people at their places of work through a project developed in partnership with Durham Sport and other County Durham trusts, including Easington.
Ken Ross, public health specialist at the Dales trust, said: "I am absolutely thrilled that this funding is aimed at the heart of the communities.
"It will give local people the chance to get fit and stay fit and will bring long-term benefits for their health and well being.
"It well create more opportunities to get involved in a wide range of sports and physical activities.
"Physical activity protects against diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, but because of the busy lives that we lead, we often don't get the chance to become physically active."
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