A Lambeth campaign to inspire your children to love veg
Vegetables will be invading a Family Fun Day in Windrush Square, Brixton.
Families of Lambeth are invited to bring the kids and enjoy the free fun and activities between 11:00am and 4:00pm on April 6.
Expect music, crafts, and games as we inspire children to eat and defeat their veg.
Like many inner city areas, Lambeth faces diet-related challenges to health and wellbeing. Nearly one quarter of children in Lambeth are obese by the age of ten[i], which has the potential to lead to serious health complications both now and in later life.
A balanced diet, consisting of more fruits and vegetables, and fewer foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugar, can help improve weight and wellbeing in the children of Lambeth. At the moment, just over half of fifteen year olds in Lambeth eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day[ii]. Encouraging local children to eat more vegetables could help to improve their wellbeing and create healthy habits that last into adulthood.
Promoting health and wellbeing is a priority for Lambeth. The borough has a well-embedded and co-produced Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and the Lambeth Health and Wellbeing Board has committed to promoting healthier and sustainable food for the borough.
The council is working in partnership with local schools and VegPower on the Eat Them to Defeat Them Campaign, inspiring children to love their veg. Children in Key Stage 2 who attend school in Lambeth have received sticker reward charts, attended veggie cooking classes, and participated in school-based veggie activities.
Now the council is celebrating the success of this campaign by hosting a free family fun day in Windrush Square and Brixton Market. Families are invited to bring their children to participate in craft activities, a treasure hunt, and vegetable tasting, all with the aim of inspiring children to love their veg. The event will run from 11:00am to 4:00pm, and all families are welcome.
In the run up to the event, the council and VegPower are running a poster competition for children in Key Stage 2 (7-11 year olds). The posters should be drawn on A4 paper, featuring vegetables, and full of colour and fun. Submissions can be dropped off at any local library. The top 20 entries will win a £20 book voucher, VegPower goody bag, and the poster will be displayed at the Family Fun Day. The star prize will be awarded at the Family Fun Day, with the chosen poster being displayed on billboards across the borough.
If you want to participate, you can draw your poster at home or speak to your local librarian about using the library.
Cllr Edward Davie, Lambeth’s joint Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “I would encourage as many Lambeth residents as possible to come and join us on Saturday for what will be a fun food experience for the whole family.
“We all know vegetables are good for us, but sometimes we think they’re boring. Our vegetable invasion on Saturday is a chance to find out that there’s more to this story, to dispel some myths and help make sure we are all eating well.
“Let’s all get together and give veg the love it deserves.”
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
This is such a brilliant initiative to get children to eat vegetables, a real change from the junk food advertising enticing our children. The event sounds fun and hope lots of children and families turn up.