Food Hygiene Schools Theatre
Introduction
The project is an annual event, run by Stratford and Warwick District Councils in support of National Food Safety Week. Performing arts students from the local college are briefed to write and present a range of plays, which deliver key food safety and healthy eating messages. The plays are performed to audiences of primary schoolchildren in the area. Last year, a total of 65 students produced 8 different plays, which were performed in a total of 75 schools reaching in the region of 25,000 children
This is a true partnership project, which, due to success and demand from schools, is now in its 9th year. This year we have been able to reach an even wider target audience as Stratford on Avon and Warwick District Councils have entered into a health partnership.
Objectives and Purpose of Project
What is the general aim of the project?
To promote, encourage and raise awareness of food safety and healthy eating messages to pre-school and primary school children.
What are the key objectives/expected outcomes the project is intended to achieve?
To promote simple precautions that consumers can take to avoid food poisoning and to promote the concept of the balance of good health including ‘5 a day’ messages.
Is the initiative linked with any other project(s) and, if so, in what way?
The Schools Tour links with other initiatives including 5 a day and the balance of good health. The project also gives the Performing Arts Students valuable workplace experience and is probably one of the most important pieces of theatre they will deliver in terms of the impact and power of the messages.
Many of the students work in part time catering positions; their participation in this project provides a timely reminder of food safety issues.
The project has also had links with Food Festivals and a Video "Good Cook, Bad Cook", which was made in 2001 and circulated to over 200 primary schools free of charge in Warwickshire.
Partners
What is the status of your organisation?
Local Government
List any other organisations that are involved in the project and indicate the nature of their input.
This is a true partnership project, which uses not just financial resources but the expertise of all the partners and shares good practice and using what works:
- Stratford on Avon District Council
- Warwick District Council
- Stratford upon Avon College
- South Warwickshire Dietetic Service
- Connexions (Back and Forth Transport) – a low cost transport scheme aimed at promoting social inclusion
- Education
Methodology
What is the particular age range and background of those at which the project is targeted?
The project is targeted at age 3 to 11 years this includes children in pre-schools, nurseries and primary schools. In addition, next year’s initiative will target a Sure Start Scheme.
The performing arts students are aged 16 to 19 years, some of whom work part time in catering establishments. The information they receive through the brief provides a timely reminder and re -enforces good practice in respect of food safety issues.
How many people from the target group have participated in the project to date?
This year’s initiative targeted 76 schools, reaching in the region of 25,000 children.
Have the numbers participating matched, or been above, or below the figure expected/targeted?
The numbers just keep on going up and up!!!
Planning
What was the main prompt for the initiative / where did the idea come from?
The idea developed as part of the health promotion work of the EH Dept. to convey messages about food safety to school children, prompted by the availability of performing arts students from a local college.
In previous years, messages have focused purely on food safety. Last year healthy eating messages were included in the performances in an effort to raise and promote awareness of the 5 a day campaign and the balance of good health. This is particularly important in light of the growing levels of obesity amongst our children. It seemed very appropriate to link the messages as food safety and healthy eating go hand in hand. Also the Schools Tour provides an excellent medium in which to get the message across.
Was a pilot programme conducted and, if so, was it useful?
The first year’s production involved just 10 students who visited 9 schools. The project has expanded as the years have progressed.
How long did the development/planning process take?
This takes place almost as soon as the tour has finished in preparation for the following year.
Funding
What is the main source of funding for the project?
The project is funded by the District Council and run on a shoestring budget, which gets tighter each year as the project keeps growing!!
Is the current funding continuous and sustainable or guaranteed only for a limited period of time?
This is very much dependant upon Local Authority budgeting mechanisms and emerging corporate and local priorities
Does the project create any revenue that contributes to self-financing?
The video, which was made, does generate a small income, (although this is purely on an ad hoc basis) but this goes straight back into the project.
Which funding sources would you pursue, or recommend for future funding?
In order to make the initiative more sustainable, the Food Standards Agency should consider offering support/resource/finance in order to support this very important project. In view of the FSA’s recent survey on the high content of fat, salt and sugar in children’s school lunchboxes, we intend to promote food safety and healthy eating messages to help focus on this issue.
To support sustainability, ideally a lunch box which includes specific messages, e.g. hand-washing, 5 a day etc could be include and given to the new intakes or even better the whole school. We do not have the capacity to provide such a resource, as the tour itself is a drain on our budget. Last year we supplied Foodlink materials to the schools in the form of goody bags. Due to the increasing demand from schools we now have to limit materials purchased from Foodlink.
Recruitment
How was/is the initiative advertised to prospective participants?
We write to all primary schools in January each year.
What criteria, if any, are used for selecting participants, or are all applicants accepted?
Each primary school/pre-school is invited to participate in the initiative, therefore we accommodate as many as possible
Is there a charge made to participants and, if so, for what and at what rate?
The initiative is totally free of charge to the schools. SDC fund the project and the Performing Arts Students supply their own props/costumes. We have, through questionnaires asked schools if they would be willing to make a contribution, very few have such resources. It would be a backward step to try and charge schools, as this would reduce the number of schools we would be able to access.
Activities / Sessions
How is the programme structured to operate in respect of participant attendance time?
Children attend a performance, which lasts approximately 20 minutes with opportunity to ask questions after the performance.
How often is the programme run?
The initiative is run annually, either during or in support of National Food Safety Week.
Is the programme designed to attract "new" participants each time or are participants able to attend a programme on a repeat basis if they wish to do so?
Children may attend a play each year – some may have attended a different performance in previous school years.
Next year we will be including a Sure Start Scheme.
How are the sessions structured and conducted?
The Health Improvement Manager together with an EHO, Community Dietician and College Lecturers give the Performing Arts Students a briefing. The briefing focuses on food safety and healthy eating messages. The students work in groups to write, devise and deliver eight different pieces of theatre linking to the theme of National Food Safety Week. Before the Tour goes live, the content and accuracy of the pieces of theatre are vetted at rehearsals.
Performances are delivered in the schools (this could be in a classroom, assembly hall or playground) with an opportunity for an interactive questions and answer session at the end of the performance
Is there any follow-up to a session for the participants and, if so, in what form?
In previous years we have invited the children to enter a competition where they are asked to draw a picture of their favourite character/part of the play and to list three important messages that they have remembered. This is a cost-effective way of evaluating a large-scale project.
Individual schools may also choose to follow up the topic as part of their class work.
Which activity / feature of the programme do you think participants enjoy / benefit from the most?
Watching the performance and having the opportunity to engage in an interactive session at the end
What is the ratio of staff to participants for sessions/activities?
The number of performing students responsible for play production is approximately 8.
School teaching staffs are in attendance at the performances.
Management & Staffing
What is the management /operational "structure" for the project)?
The project is led by the Health Improvement Manager (EH Dept.). The performing arts students are managed by their college lecturer.
How many hours per week / month / year, would you estimate, are required to run the project (administration and operation)?
Approximately 100 hours over the year
Other Resources
What do you consider are the essential physical resources required for the project activities?
a) Type of venue:
Suitable area in which the actors can perform e.g. school hall etc.
b) Facilities:
Seating for the audience
c) Equipment:
Props etc. provided by the performing arts students.
d) Other materials:
e) Training materials:
Evaluation / competition forms for school children
Not specified.
Sustainability
When did the project start?
June 1996.
How long is the project intended to last?
Indefinitely, subject to resource.
Evaluation
1. How is the success of the project measured?
Short term :
By means of a competition where children are invited to draw a picture of their favourite character/part of the play and to list three important messages that they have remembered. This is a cost-effective way of evaluating a large-scale project.
The Tour is well received and welcomed by the schools as it fits in with the national curriculum and has received a positive response and evaluation from the schools.
Long term:
Not specified
What are your feelings about the project so far?
This is a very successful project, which always generates a huge amount of interest/demand. It is an ideal mechanism to communicate important messages, which are relayed in a fun, yet positive way. This ensures maximum impact on the target group who in turn take the messages to siblings, carers, parents, grandparents etc.
What are the most significant achievements to date?
A video, entitled "Good Cook, Bad Cook" was produced in March 2001, based on one of the original theatre performances. This has been distributed free of charge, with a resource pack, to local schools. Other organisations are able to purchase the video.
The project won a national award in 2002 (National Food Safety Award for "excellence, innovation and creativity" in food safety communication).
Entering into a joint health partnership with Warwick District Council, which has enabled us to target a wider audience.
What plans are there for the future of the project?
To continue to develop and expand the project and to persuade the FSA to offer some support/resource in helping to deliver and communicate these important messages which are crucial part of many agendas.
Lessons Learned
What obstacles or problems have been?
It may well be that in future, due to increasing pressures on already stretched Environmental Health Departments to meet their inspection targets, resources become scarcer. In terms of Health Improvement, other areas of work which require resource/funding including smoking cessation projects and accident prevention initiatives. This could result in current resource/funding to help sustain the important food safety and healthy eating messages becoming more limited in future.
How have these been overcome?
Problems of funding continue.
Have you been contacted and given advice/information to any other organisations on setting up a similar project, and, if so, please indicate how many and what type(s) of organisation?
Other Local Authorities including:
- Glasgow City
- Stoke on Trent
- London Borough of Lewisham
- Restormel Borough Council
- Staffordshire & Moorlands District Council
- North East Lincolnshire District Council
- Dept of Nutrition and Dietetics Preston
- Safe Food Board Dublin
- Safe Food Queensland Australia
Contact Details
Name: Nancy Singleton
Job Title: Health Improvement Manager (For Stratford and Warwick District Councils)
Organisation: Stratford on Avon District Council
Address:
Elizabeth House,
Church Street,
Stratford upon Avon,
CV37 6HX
Phone No: 01789 260803
Fax No: 01789 260808/260809
Email: nancy.singleton@stratford-dc.gov.uk
Website Address: www.stratford.gov.uk