from
NEWS RELEASE
3 August 2005
From Sunderland to Southampton, From Billericay to Bristol: MPs join together to give every child a healthy start
Across the country, MPs from all parties have been visiting local pre-schools and nurseries to prepare healthy meals and snacks with children, to promote healthy eating among children under five.
Over 80 MPs have visited settings as part of the Pre-school Learning Alliance's Feeding Young Imaginations initiative, designed to provide information for parents and those caring for young children on what constitutes a balanced diet. The campaign was inspired by the need to address the lack of coherent information for carers of children under five and aims to increase awareness of nutrition, provide practical tips on menu planning and engage children in food from a young age. The Alliance is working in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation to develop resources and disseminate advice.
MPs have been visiting settings over recent weeks, preparing snacks with children, sharing their own favourite recipes and discussing food and nutrition with practitioners and local parents.
Steve Alexander, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance said
"I am delighted that so many MPs have taken the time to visit local groups and to express their support for the Feeding Young Imaginations initiative. Good nutrition is everybody's business and the cross party support from MPs from every region in the country demonstrates the extent to which healthy eating has become a political priority.
We developed Feeding Young Imaginations to address the gap in information for parents and practitioners caring for the under fives. Too often the focus has been to improve school meals for primary and secondary school children. While this is important, it is absolutely crucial that we focus on improving the quality of food supplied to our very youngest children, to ensure that bad habits are not established by the time they reach school."
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Anna Roberts
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7014 9304
Out of hours press calls: 07979 531 130
E: Anna Roberts
Notes for Editors:
- The Pre-school Learning Alliance links 15,000 pre-schools and 500,000 young children and their families in England. Established in 1961 and registered as an educational charity, the Alliance is the national dimension of the pre-school movement. The charity is involved in more Sure Start projects than any other organisation and operates a number of Neighbourhood Nurseries. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: www.pre-school.org.uk
- Feeding Young Imaginations is designed to ensure all children get the best start in life. It highlights that getting nutrition right in the early years can have a positive impact on long-term development. In partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation, the Pre-school Learning Alliance has produced Nutritional Guidance specifically for the under fives. The guidelines give advice for parents, carers and those involved in running a nursery or playgroup to help children eat well and be healthy, offering practical tips to make healthy eating fun for children. Further information about the campaign is available from the website: www.pre-school.org.uk/food
- Case study material and photographs can be obtained by contacting the Pre-school Learning Alliance press office on 020 7278 9037