WIRRAL Community NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Karen Howell writes for the Globe ...

WELL Easter is over and the clocks have gone forward ... British Summertime has well and truly landed.

Not that the weather is particularly playing ball; but at least we have seen some blue sky over the last week or so and it's certainly milder.

Now that the clocks have gone back, the longer evenings (and hopefully better weather!) are perfect for getting out more and doing a bit of exercise.

Having a bit of sunshine here and there has already made me get out and about a bit more.

A lunchtime walk or an evening stroll in the park can do wonders for your health and wellbeing; even a bit of gardening can help.

So, it's a great time of year to review our lifestyles and take some positive steps to looking after our health and wellbeing.

I hope you've managed to take some inspiration from the bit of blue sky we've seen!

There are also lots of 'awareness' campaigns at this time of year, which are often a great way to get help, advice and support to make some positive lifestyle changes and improve your health and wellbeing.

April is bowel cancer awareness month. With seven percent of men and five percent of women diagnosed with it at some point in our lives, it's important we know what simple steps we can take to help prevent it.

A healthy diet, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and getting active are simple steps that can make a big difference.

Taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, walking to the shops and even doing the housework can all help you become a bit more active.

There's lots of information and advice on the bowel cancer uk.org.uk

Meanwhile we've just had World Oral Health Day, which this year focussed on the connection between your mouth health and your body health.

And again some of the best things we can do to try and reduce our risk of mouth diseases are to eat healthily, don't use tobacco and limit our alcohol intake.

Brushing your teeth twice a day (and rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash or chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks when brushing isn't possible) is also recommended.

By taking small steps to lead a healthier lifestyle we can greatly reduce our risk of so many health problems.

And this time of year is a great incentive to make a start.

There's a great local website called The live well directory which is packed with information about everything from keeping well and getting active to children and families information, housing advice and community leisure and learning services.

It's well worth a look!

For more information about all our services, visit www.wirralct.nhs.uk like us on Facebook/nhsbuzz or follow us on Twitter @wirralct.