Healthy mind, healthy body

TEENAGERS can now log on to the internet to get advice about health issues.

The Mind, Body and Soul website has been developed by the Health Education Authority as part of the Government's Healthy Schools programme.

It is designed specifically for school pupils aged 14 to 16 and aims to provide information which can be used in the classroom as well as for the youngsters' own personal knowledge.

Topics covered include drugs, alcohol, accidents and mental health, along with specific medical complaints such as acne, diabetes and epilepsy.

Public health minister Yvette Cooper and schools minister Jacqui Smith launched the website in London.

Yvette Cooper said: "Young people need easily accessible, up-to-date and accurate health information to help both with school work and to increase their knowledge of health issues. Now we can help them find all kinds of health information online.

"Mind, Body and Soul is a major part of the Government's drive to make all schools a healthy school.

"A healthy school not only improves the health of its pupils, and the community, but it can ensure that young people learn about the key factors which affect their own health."

Jacqui Smith said: "Teachers will be able to highlight this website to their pupils with the knowledge that all the information is reliable and relevant to the national curriculum, and that all the websites have been thoroughly checked.

"Mind, Body and Soul will be a welcome addition for any teacher wishing to make their classes more interactive using information technology and represents important support for teachers in delivering a personal social and health education. "If we are to maintain and improve school standards we need to support both teachers and exploit new technology."

The site was only launched last week and when I logged on not all the links seemed to work but as the site is being added to all the time I would expect it to be corrected soon.

Apart from that, the site looks good and I could see it being a useful resource in the classroom, if not something that teenagers would choose to access on their own.

http://www.mindbodysoul.gov.uk

Conservation jungle tamed

A NEW website claims to be a "one stop shop" for anyone with an interest in animal protection and conservation.

Virunga is backed by more than 90 environmental and animal organisations around the world.

They include the World Wide Fund for Nature, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the National Canine Defence League and the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

The site contains news from around the world on conservation issues, as well as job advertisements in related fields, discussion rooms and online petitions to sign.

There are also links to the websites of the various organisations involved. Mark Austen, president of Virunga said: "We aim to be the world-wide virtual community for animal protection and conservation."

There are already plans to extend the site.

http://www.virunga.org

Phil's wheely useful website

HELP is at hand for bikers through the Bikers' Advice Bureau website.

The bureau was founded by Philip Shuker of Helmshore, who works as a solicitor in Manchester.

For an annual fee bikers can get access to legal and consumer advice and a freephone helpline.

Philip said: "Bikers are often treated unfairly compared to motorists when they're on holiday.

"Today bikers are as likely to be company directors, doctors or accountants as they are rock 'n' rollers. We are now compiling a database of holiday information from accommodation - hotels, B&Bs and campsites - to special activity breaks where bikers are especially welcome." http://www.bikersadvice.co.uk

Spice site

SHE'S turned from Sporty Spice into scary rock chick. Melanie C, the artist formerly known as Mel C, has her own official website. http://www.northern-star.co.uk

Shopping pleasure

A NEW online service that will take the stress out of your Christmas shopping will be launched next week. Shoppers' World will offer a range of online shopping opportunities. Look out for full details in your Lancashire Evening Telegraph next week.

Seen something interesting on the web? Send an e-mail to vcowan@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.