By Geoff Fisher 
If you’ve ever set a New Year’s resolution only to see it slip by February, you’re not alone – but 2026 could be different.
Norfolk County Council is encouraging residents across Norfolk and Waveney to kickstart the New Year by signing up to the 30-day health challenge, a simple and supportive way to make positive changes to health using the free online Ready to Change tool.
The challenge is designed to help people make realistic, achievable lifestyle changes over 30 days; a timeframe that experts say is far more manageable than aiming for drastic, long-term change all at once.
Ready to Change also signposts to lots of local organisations that can help you achieve your goals, including free weight management, smoking cessation and fitness groups.
Visit www.readytochange.co.uk to find out more about the 30-day health challenge, take health quizzes and sign up for expert health guidance and support to get you the success you deserve in 2026.
How do you get involved in the 30-day health challenge?
Step 1: Visit the Ready to Change website and choose one of the following health challenges:
- aim for a healthier weight
- drink less alcohol
- quit smoking
- eat more healthily
- be more active
Step 2: Sign up to receive free weekly expert health guidance, tips and support by email over the next 30 days.
Support for people facing barriers to employment
People in Norfolk with disabilities and long-term health issues that are keeping them out of employment are to receive support from the newly launched Connect to Work programme.
The scheme aims to build on the achievements of the previous Working Well Norfolk and Local Supported Employment projects and reduce the county’s higher-than-average economically inactive population.
In Norfolk, 109,100 (20.6%) of individuals aged 16–65 were classed as economically inactive in 2024 – 1.5% higher than post-Covid – and 30,100 (27.7%) were classed as having long-term sickness compared with 23.7% in 2019 – higher than the East of England figure of 25.9% and the UK average of 27.2%.
Connect to Work is aimed at people aged 18 and over from Norfolk (and 16–17 in some cases) from a wide range of cohorts, including people with mental and physical health challenges, learning disabilities, neurodiversity, care leavers, carers, military veterans, ex-offenders, the homeless, refugees and victims of domestic abuse.
People who are in work but at risk of having to give up owing to their health condition or other complex challenges will also be assisted.
To find out how to access support via Connect to Work, please visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/workingwell or email connecttowork@norfolk.gov.uk.
Cllr Greg Peck, Norfolk County Council, Reepham Division
Tel: 07972 230282
Email: greg.peck.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
Image: Norfolk County Council