Fun Fit Food Show
FSA Food Hygiene and Nutrition grant winner 2006-07
The Fun Fit Food Show is an interactive play that was taken into all the primary schools in the Shepway district (Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh) to educate young children on why and how to eat healthily, and the importance of exercise. This provided a fun and entertaining way to communicate basic healthy eating messages and enable children to take these messages back to their families.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the initiative was to improve the health of children in the Shepway area by improving knowledge and awareness of what they eat, how to eat healthier and the importance of keeping active.
The objectives were:
- To provide information on the different types of food that they may eat.
- Explain how bodies process food when it is eaten.
- Explain why some foods are healthier than others.
- Encourage choosing to eat more healthily.
- Explain why exercise is so important and encourage it.
Partners
The partners involved included:
- Primary Care Trust (PCT)
- A nutritionist
- Healthy schools coordinator
- Teacher representative for healthy schools
- Circus Takeaway who produced the play
- Food and Drink Federation who supplied The Activaters education pack for every school
- The Comic Company who produced the healthy plate design
- Designer Paul Taylor of Byte Design who designed the accompanying leaflet with caricatures produced by Circus Takeaway.
Methodology
The theatre company visited 2 schools per day one in the morning and one in the afternoon. All shows were pre-booked with the schools approximately 6 weeks in advance. The play was delivered to each primary school, lasting for 45 minutes. The show includes lots of audience participation including a song which reinforces the main points of the show. (Circus takeaway are well known within the local schools and their songs are infamous). A follow up pack was produced for each school with some suggestions for activities that could be completed in class. Each child was given a Fun Fit Food show leaflet (attached below) to take home to reinforce their learning and continue the message to the family unit.
Promotion
The project was featured in the local press prior to the launch of the shows and during the shows the press visited one school to give media coverage. Schools were telephoned to ask if they were interested in receiving the show and a date offered.
Resources
- Funding came from the Food Standards Agency's Food Hygiene and Nutrition Grant.
- The show was solely staffed by Circus Takeaway – Nick Beak.
- The venue for each show was the school hall.
- Equipment for the show was all supplied by Circus Takeway.
- A leaflet was produced to accompany the show, given to every member of the audience.
Evaluation
Pre show questionnaires were sent to all the schools asking for areas of concern and areas to be focused on. As many of these areas as possible, and those considered relevant, were included in the show. A follow up evaluation form for teachers and one for the students was prepared and the results analysed and evaluated.
Lessons Learned
We wanted detailed feedback from the teachers as to how effective the show had been and what the children had learnt and changes made to behavior. Our limited experience meant that the evaluation sheet needed to be changed and made simpler. This simpler form also made evaluation much easier. The experience of Circus Takeaway at writing, creating and delivering such effective performances meant that no major problems were encountered.
Future Developments
While the Fun Fit Food Shows were running in schools, Environmental Education Officers from Shepway District Council introduced a ‘Vegetable Bag’ Scheme. All Primary Schools were written to, along with a promotion at the end of every show. The scheme is to encourage families to eat more vegetables (at very competitive prices) and is co coordinated by Environmental Education Officers from Shepway District Council. A local fruit and vegetable wholesaler, deliver the vegetables to the school on a Wednesday, then the ‘Veg bags’ are sold at cost (£1.50) to the parents. Shepway District Council provides the school with 50 cotton reusable bags, for parents to pick up their ‘Veg’ in, at the same time as they collect their children from school. The scheme is excellent value for money and proving to be very popular, it has recently been extended to included Pre-school childcare establishments. At present Juicy Fruits are providing around 500 bags a week. With some schools asking for an additional fruit bag.
Future projects include Environmental Education Officers ‘Grow for it’ challenge. The officers will grow fruit and vegetables with children in primary schools (choosing schools with limited outdoor space, where fruit and veg are grown in planters). The children will then harvest the ‘fruits of their labour’ and in the afternoon enjoy eating them.
And Finally – great news - it is not the end of the Fun Fit Food Show, Brighton & Hove Council has already booked a week of the shows with Circus Takeaway and are also using the activity sheet in conjunction.
Contact Details
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