On your marks, get set, go! A man is on a million-pound mission to give Manningham residents a clean bill of health.

Malik Muhktar Ahmed, pictured, has plans for walking groups, personal trainers for people suffering ill health, lessons in healthy cooking and helping community groups to get funding to improve people's wellbeing.

The new Healthy Living Initiative worker will be based at the Carlisle Business Centre and initial funding has come from the Government's New Opportunities Fund.

Mr Ahmed said: "I really want to make a massive difference in Manningham and want to show that really positive things are happening here."

The plan is to improve health through a variety of different mediums including art, information, sport and housing.

A website will be set up and a magazine launched to give health advice.

But Mr Ahmed said he also wanted to help the Grandad's Army, which featured in the Telegraph & Argus.

"A group like that could really benefit from the Manningham Healthy Living Initiative."

He said that he would be able to point the group to some funding. "We also have a lot more plans. We want to organise a personal trainer to draw up a personalised walking plan for people who perhaps have suffered a heart attack or high blood pressure. It would also be good to get a walking group going to encourage people to walk with friends."

There will also be seminars to demonstrate healthy living and cooking such as preparing traditional Asian foods in a healthier way, also encouraging people to eat more fruit and fresh vegetables.

He also wants as many local people to get involved in a steering group.

"We desperately want people to get involved so that they have a say in making decisions," Mr Ahmed said.

Today Tufail Butt, of the Asian Elderly Association, said he would be taking Mr Ahmed up on his offer.

"We would love to get involved with Mr Ahmed and see how he can help us in practical ways. Once we have got our base it would be beneficial to organise walks and maybe swimming and it would be better if we can go as a group."

Councillor Arshad Hussain (Con, Toller), who also runs the Mehraan restaurant on Duckworth Lane, welcomed the idea.

"I think it will have a big impact on people here in Manningham. There are health problems in the Asian community, you hear about people suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and weight problems. The traditional Asian diet is full of oil and butter and snacks tend to be deep fried, but there are ways to cook more healthily such as by grilling or using low fat yoghurt." He said he would welcome holding cookery demonstrations at the Carlisle Business Centre.

At Manningham Sports Centre acting manager Erik Kallas said staff there were seeing more Asian elders coming through the door. "We are seeing more over-50s who are being referred by their GPs. The fitness centre, swimming pool and sauna are currently very popular with older Asian people."

He added that he would welcome a link with the healthy living co-ordinator.

"It is about exercise and diet going hand and hand."

And there are signs that the Asian community is moving towards a more healthy outlook. Young mum Rizwana Ajeeb, of Heaton, told how she avoided giving out traditional Asian sweets when her son was born.

"Usually we give out mitthai (Asian sweets made of condensed milk, cream and butter and sugar) but my parents are diabetic so we gave out mangoes instead," she said.

"It was brilliant because a lot of the people we were giving out to were also diabetic and wouldn't have been able to eat the sweets anyway."