Community groups have given Moulsecoomb residents the tools to make a healthy change at the Local Action Team’s annual Wellbeing Event.

Representatives from 15 organisations gathered at St George’s Hall, Newick Road on Thursday, September 25 to raise awareness of issues including drug and alcohol abuse, fire safety, healthy eating and food waste.

Vera Zakharov, from the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, said: “Our organisation is really keen to do more work around food with community groups.

“People become really passionate and interested, and food is a great starting point for people to think about their health and the environment.”

The partnership encourages people to eat well and waste less, with more than 700 households participating in its community composting scheme.

Meanwhile Catherine How, from the Sussex Community Health Promotion Cancer Team, said she hoped to improve uptake rates for cancer screening in Brighton and Hove.

Less than 56% of eligible people in the city were screened for bowel cancer in 2013.

An active lifestyle was also on the agenda as the event concluded with a performance by flamenco dancers from The Bridge Community Education Centre.

Jannet Cook, 73, said: “I was brought up with rock and roll, and this is a completely different way of dancing. It’s all centred and you dance it all from inside you.”

She said learning to dance had made her think differently about exercise, and that the group had the best flamenco tuition in the whole of Brighton thanks to MLAT funding.