WHEN the Health Service Executive (HSE) invited expressions of interest in 2007 and 2008 for primary health care centres, the Moffatt family in Ballina responded.
Thanks to the enthusiasm of Dr. Tom and Dr. Sean Moffatt, the Ballina Primary Care Centre, due to open in spring 2011, will be the first such centre of its type in Mayo.
The centre is being developed by the doctors Moffatt with the professional support and guidance of Alpha Healthcare, the national leaders in the development of primary care centres. 
For Sean Moffatt, the rationale behind the development is simple: "Our aim is to provide a cutting edge facility with enhanced services which will benefit both our patients and the other GPs and their patients in the Ballina area.

WESTPORT woman Fiona Hoban is launching a new book to help you stop dieting, eat mindfully and curb emotional eating.
Take a Weight off Your Mind is not just another diet book, nor a miracle solution that guarantees weight loss with little or no effort.
Too many people have bought those books, tried them, failed and thrown them into the back of the cupboard in disgust and self-loathing.
This book, a first from by leading Irish practitioner Fiona Hoban, is based on many years of working with those who struggle with issues around weight and food. 
Her approach is based on three guiding principles: stop dieting, eat mindfully and curb emotional eating.
Take a Weight off Your Mind is for people who want to get an insight into the vicious and futile nature of dieting, learn how to undo self-destructive patterns of yo-yo dieting and get practical pointers on how best to build a healthy relationship with food.

THE Castlebar Marching Band have been very busy this past week starting with their first engagement on March 14 in Limerick at the 40th International Band Parade and Competition as part of the Limerick St. Patrick's Festival 2010.
There was a large turn out of spectators to view a total of 13 marching bands taking part in this colourful event along Limerick city's main thoroughfare, O'Connell Street.

CLAREMORRIS Swimming Club held their first A grade Gala in the new Claremorris Leisure Centre which opened last September.
There was a huge turnout with 11 Connaught clubs sending strong teams to this inaugural gala which was a great success.
True to form the Claremorris swimmers performed excellently on the day with Aine Cunnane winning the first gold of the competition in the girls Under 11 200m backcrawl.