A WEST-Cork founded movement set up to improve the food environment for children has been awarded €25,000 from Lidl.

Launched one year ago in Clonakilty by former Ballymaloe head chef Gillian Hegarty and nutritionist Melissa Byrne, the Kids’ Food Revolution brings together children, families, schools, sports clubs and local businesses to create healthier environments for children, by reducing unhealthy food gifts.

The community-led initiative has now secured funding from Lidl’s Green Fund which supports projects that support sustainability, social inclusion and community development, allowing the project to create and deliver a food education pilot in three schools including Barryroe NS and Clonakilty Gaelscoil.

The pilot will combine hands-on cookery and nutrition education with kitchen gardening, supporting curriculum learning, wellbeing and practical life skills in a relaxed and fun peer learning environment. As parents, both founders have long been concerned about the normalisation of unhealthy foods in children’s everyday lives.

At the launch were Jack Kelly, Orla Whelton (School Principal), Daniel O'Regan, Darcy O'Donovan, Ethan Griffin, Gillian Hegarty (Kids Food Revolution), Cian Coleman, Melissa Byrne (Kids Food Revolution), Shai O'Donovan and Nicole Gleeson. Seated: Mary O'Sullivan, Harvey Doyle, Amal Hafaz, Saoirse Twomey and Olivia O'Brien. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

‘The current food environment is directly damaging our children’s food-related health. Every day in my clinical practice I meet families who are trying to live well, but are up against pressure everywhere they turn. Unhealthy food pops up everywhere because it is cheaper and marketed aggressively to children from an early age. While an occasional sweet is absolutely fine, there is so much out there now that it can really make it hard to eat well,’ said Melissa.

‘We want to stand together and make healthier choices become the societal norm, not the exception.’

Gillian has given cookery demonstrations in schools for the last number of years, and has received an overwhelmingly positive response.

‘I have been blown away by the impact the cookery workshops have had on the students. They absolutely love them, and they get really excited about trying new things and sharing their experience together. Parents have told me that their children are really enthusiastic about cooking, and they love teaching their parents about what they have learned. Kids are eating things they never would have eaten at home, and parents are delighted.’

The schools pilot is starting this month, with the intention of informing a wider national rollout.