Just like that – school children learn good food tricks
A magician has gone into St Nicolas Cof E Primary School to prevent young people from becoming overweight by encouraging them to eat better and move more.
The day’s activities were organised by the cluster co-ordinator for Nuneaton East as part of Warwickshire County Council’s extended services provision.
Eugene Matthias brought his range of magical skills with a healthy eating message as part of Change4Life, a six-pronged initiative to encourage healthier lifestyles among young people. It came on the day when it was revealed that the region has the worst rates of obesity in the country.
The other elements of the Change4Life programme include:
· a Healthy Living presentation for parents, a workshop for eating and exercise
· Workshop (Eatwell & Move More): The workshop launches the family challenge, covers the eatwell plate & exercise, it ends with a fat demonstration designed by NHS Bedford.
· a Change4Life Family Challenge in which a family goes home to live a healthy week.
· a Change4Life Certificate: Every child who completes the challenge will receive a Magic Club of Great Britain Healthy Living certificate.
· 4 FREE ‘Beginners courses in Magic’ (worth £80.00) for a prize draw for students whose families take part in the challenge to go to the school.
The project has been designed to align and extend existing activities that relate to diet and fitness with Change4Life . To create fun, laughter, and activities which support the campaigns key behaviours, finally take the Change4Life message back into homes. The project is designed for Key Stage 1, 2 & 3.
Shanie Hayes, cluster co-ordinator for the East Nuneaton cluster, said: “The show was interactive, motivational and above all fun! The humour and knowledge demonstrated made the whole experience one that children will remember and share with their parents.
“It is a serious problem that we are trying to address, that of obesity. By working in a cluster of schools and bringing them together we are educating our communities, starting with the young people. This will not only start to tackle obesity immediately but will help us to prevent it becoming as serious a problem in the future.”
For further details of Extended Services activities in the area, visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/extendedservices.