Healthy Eating provides Something to Chew On
With the end of the 2015 Autumn Term drawing in, the Falcons Community Foundation are also bringing a successful delivery of the Something to Chew On programme in schools around Carlisle to a close.
In the hands of the Foundation’s Cumbria Development Officer Keith Robinson, pupils of Caldew Lea, Bellevue Primary and Pennine Way schools took part in five weeks of healthy eating lessons and exercise linked to Tag Rugby.
An interactive programme, Something to Chew On is supported by the Change 4 Life programme (Department of Health funded) and takes a rounded approach to teaching children about leading a healthy lifestyle, with the key aims of improving children’s understanding of a healthy diet, food safety and increase children’s uptake of physical activity.
With rugby renowned as a game for all shapes and sizes, it makes it the perfect vehicle to drive a health and activity led initiative; as sport rugby can offer playing opportunities and role models to children of all shapes and sizes.
Speaking about the lessons, Robinson explained. “Lesson one is about balanced diet, what you should eat and how much while lesson two is about the five food groups, and what foods are in each group. As part of that lesson, the kids get a big eat well plate where they have to place food items in the correct place.”
“In lesson three, they look at why we need each food group – carbs for energy, fruit and veg- to make the body work properly and to give us vitamin and minerals, dairy for bones and teeth, and protein to grow and repair the body. We take that forward into lesson four, where the pupils are asked to plan a menu for themselves and also a professional player, before actually making a wrap or healthy sandwich based on what they have learned.”
Something to Chew On will move back East in the Spring Term, with three schools in Middlesbrough taking part in the programme.
For more information on getting involved with the Falcons Community Foundation and the programmes the deliver, please contact Programmes Coordinator Emily O’Connor on 0191 214 2844 or by emailing Emily.oconnor@newcastle-falcons.co.uk
