Healthy Heroes at Togher school

TOGHER National School in Dunmanway has been named Healthy Heroes School of the Month, thanks to the students’ efforts in promoting healthy eating. It is among hundreds of primary schools in the country that are participating in the initiative from the Irish Bread Bakers Association (IBBA) and Bord Bia, which aims to educate children on nutrition and how to improve their lunchtime habits.

Designed by teachers and behaviour change experts with the support of Dr Mary McCreery, one of Ireland’s foremost consultant nutritionists and dieticians, the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club gives children the opportunity to foster valuable leadership, teamwork and communication skills, all while learning to change their eating habits for the better.

Now in its ninth year, the successful programme allows both pupils and teachers to learn all about lunchtime nutrition, helping to boost children’s activity levels, all whilst having fun in a non-competitive environment.

Helen O’Connell, teacher at Togher NS said: ‘We are always delighted to find new ways to enhance our school’s healthy eating and exercise policies, and Healthy Heroes has offered us just that.

‘The programme has enabled our school to make it fun and enjoyable for our pupils to embrace a healthy lifestyle, so much so that our junior infants have so much fun with it that they sometimes don’t want to go home at 2pm! If I had to sum up Healthy Heroes in one word it would be inspiring!’

For more information on how schools can get involved in the Healthy Heroes Lunch Club, email [email protected].