THE secret of a happy workforce is a healthy lifestyle, according to a Callington-based company which has just received national recognition for its pioneering active workplace scheme. Ginsters' managing director Mark Duddridge said he has seen improvements in team spirit and employee satisfaction at the pasty factory, and a drop in staff sickness, since the national pilot scheme was introduced by Caradon District Council two years ago. The Callington project was announced runner-up and 'highly commended' in the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards in Health and Wellbeing at a gala presentation in London on Monday. It was pipped at the post by a project in North Cornwall which introduces disadvantaged young people to extreme sports. Ginsters staff have taken advantage of a new on- site gym and participated in a range of activities including climbing, surfing, ice skating and tennis, all with the aim of increasing health awareness, reducing sickness and increasing productivity. The project has also introduced healthy menu options in the staff restaurant, free fruit for staff, help with quitting smoking, cholesterol testing and advice on slimming and the warning signs of heart disease and cancer. Mark Duddridge, Ginsters' managing director, said: 'We were convinced that an investment in the health of our people would pay dividends by improving the overall well being of our staff and making them better equipped to help us achieve a successful future. 'We're two years into the project and the results speak for themselves.' Organised by Caradon District Council, the three year scheme is a national pilot that sets out to provide hard evidence for the benefits of physical activity and health promotion messages in the workplace. The University of the West of England is assessing the long-term impact the project has on the health of Ginsters' employees. Cllr Rebecca Lingard, Caradon's health ambassador, said: 'When the project started, staff health levels were lower than expected and the workforce were generally not very interested in physical activity, mainly due to the difficulty of fitting exercise in around 12 hour shift patterns in a business that operates 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. 'Today nearly two thirds of the staff exercise regularly, and many who have tried new activities for the first time have decided to continue with them.' She said whilst she was delighted the project had been recognised nationally, the real reward was seeing the improvement in the health of the staff. The project has also attracted the attention of Professor Dame Carol Black, the government's national director for work and health, who will visit Ginsters in May, and is set to feature at the National Public Health Conference in London later this month. The active workplace project is being funded to the tune of £585,000 by Sport England, the University of the West of England, Ginsters and Caradon District Council.