GREAT Lever is getting healthy.

People are being encouraged to get on board with a raft of activities, designed to improve their health and well-being.

Groups to get people growing their own fruit and vegetables in the community, organisations promoting a healthy diet, schemes to encourage people to play sport and history societies are all springing up in the area.

The Bolton Urban Growers works primarily with disadvantaged members of the community to help them learn how to grow organic food.

The group, which holds gardening sessions every Tuesday morning at The Southfields pub in Green Lane, Great Lever, was set up by Steve Jones and his partner Jean Urmston.

Mr Jones, who has worked with ex-offenders, said: "We want to show ordinary people how easy it is to grow organic food.

"It's a great way of building people's self esteem. I get really touched when I see people get really excited because they've made food from scratch for the first time in their life.

"If anyone wants to get involved, they're always welcome."

Another group is the All Natural health group, which seeks to promote the importance of a fruit and vegetable-based diet.

Jay Vora, who co-founded the group with his wife, Sheila, last year, said at the meeting: "A recent survey revealed that 84 per cent of people in Bolton are not getting their five a day — this is not good.

"Our group has been set up with a view to challenging that statistic.

"A healthy diet can offer such benefits as more mobility, less stress, better sleep patterns and more money."

The All Natural health group meets every Thursday evening and Saturday morning at Slaterfield Community Centre in Carrington Drive, Great Lever.

Bolton Wanderers Community Trust promoted its Gr8er Goals project, which involves daytime and night-time football sessions for those aged 12 to 30.

Richard Slater, community cohesion coordinator for the trust, revealed that, in the last year, 330 unique participants have engaged in the project.

The trust also offers weekly drop-in and advice sessions for 16 to 30-year-olds.

Other groups include Sevadal of Bolton, Great Lever and Morris Green Local History Society, Pop In and Learn, B-Musik, HFT Trust Limited, Nu Styla Street and BoltonEnvironmental Enterprise.