For the past five years, children at the nursery and pre-school have received hot meals delivered by Les Cotils, encouraging healthy food habits and table etiquette.
‘We got involved when the pre-school was looking to take on the Healthy Schools award and was looking at not just nutrition, but things like being active and emotional health and wellbeing,’ said Health Improvement Commission Eat Well Lead Alex Kosmas.
‘We formed a bit of a collaboration to figure out how we can try and improve the menus but also how we could sustain it and makes sure it continues with funding.’
Northern Trust has agreed to fund the next three years of the scheme. The nursery and pre-school supports a combination of private-paying families and children who benefit from a grant from ESS, which allows them to attend free of charge for up to nine hours a week.
‘The majority of the children have food from Les Cotils, regardless of whether they pay or not. About 50% of the meals that are delivered each day are not being paid for by private fee-payers, largely because families can’t afford it,’ said Bright Beginnings CEO Lisa Blondel.
‘We all now know that the money is there to keep it going and ensure that children who are at risk of food inequality are not at risk.
‘It feels really good because ultimately, we are are making a big difference with all three charities working together with Northern Trust.’
Bright Beginnings has been tweaking the menu so the children can try new foods.
Manager Karyn Merrien said children often eat things now they would not have previously touched.
‘We also role-model for them, staff sit with the children and eat at the same time, we talk about healthy eating, positive eating and role modelling around meal times,’ she said.
‘Some children perhaps wouldn’t have been introduced to noodles and chicken or jacket potatoes because the money’s not at home, they’re used to processed food, and it takes a long time to implement and embed for the child, but eventually it works because they see you eating it and they want to try it too.
‘Children are much more capable than we probably give them credit for. It’s amazing when you see a three-year-old standing there scraping their plate and then going back and wiping the table down with their cloth,’ she said.
Stephen Naftel and Bob Pitman are the volunteers who deliver the children their lunch from Les Cotils.
General manager Erin Adkins said they take it in turns, giving up their time and petrol, and the children love to see them.