Healthy Eating Programmes

Projects using food to make a positive contribution to their community are being showcased at an event in Glenrothes.

Last year, NHS Fife awarded over £40,000 worth of Health Improvement funding to initiatives that put the promotion of a healthy diet at the heart of their ambitions. 

A number of those projects have been invited to showcase their success at the 'Taking Food into the Community' event at the Rothes Halls on the 24th they will be joined by others who work to spread health and wellbeing throughout communities.

Groups appearing include 'Cook Well, Feel Good', which provides hands-on cooking workshops to people with severe mental health problems at a community kitchen in Leven, Fife Gingerbread, which works with young single parents to promote the importance of healthy eating and nutrition, and the Ladybird Nursery, which raises awareness of the importance of food by bringing it to parents in a nursery setting. 

The event features demonstrations, information, and resources to take away and use.

Commenting, Senior Health Promotion Officer, Lyndsay Clark, said:

"The projects that are appearing have not only made important contributions to improving the health of the community, but many are also engaging with people who are perhaps harder to reach, more vulnerable, or even impacted by social isolation.

"The physical and mental benefits of a healthy lifestyle are well known, however what is lesser known is how easy it can be to make the changes necessary to enjoy these benefits. A good diet can bring many positives; including the maintenance of a healthy weight, a more effective immune system, and the feeling that you are more energised throughout your day."

Acting Depute Head of the Ladybird Centre, Elizabeth Hunter, added: "To encourage healthy lifestyles, Ladybird Nursery offers free hands-on classes to parents every week. In these classes we look at preparing healthy foods from scratch, the impact of foods high in fat, sugar and salt, we consider cost, and also provide guidance over family meal planning that incorporates infant weaning.

"Members of our team will be on hand to provide information about our classes and how like-minded groups can obtain the funding to start their own initiative."