Health Minister Hazel Blears visited the region yesterday.

She attended a conference in Newcastle organised by the Tyne and Wear Health Action Zone (HAZ).

She met health workers and heard about the achievements of the HAZ since it was set up two years ago in an effort to improve health in the area.

The conference included workshops, displays from projects and a healthy cooking demonstration involving Tyneside schools. Since it was set up, the HAZ programme has been involved in 16 separate health initiatives, including efforts to encourage people to stop smoking, healthy eating projects to combat heart disease and a drive to encourage people with chronic and disabling conditions to claim the benefits to which they are entitled