Health experts believe children in London currently eat only half the recommended daily amounts of fruit and vegetables and that the School Fruit Pilot Programme will promote healthy living and help to prevent cancer, heart disease and strokes occurring in later life. A total of 244,969 pupils in 1,354 schools are now being offered the free fruit, with more to benefit from the scheme in the coming weeks.
Ceri Jones, NOF London regional officer, said school participation was running 'at an excellent 80 per cent'. She added, 'This is a great example of how Lottery money can be targeted to help improve quality of life and show how we can effectively link up education and health services to benefit local people.'
The London scheme follows pilots already undertaken by the Department of Health for the National School Fruit Scheme, which is due to be rolled out in 2004. The scheme is also being run in the west Midlands, and schools in the north-west and the east Midlands are due to join next year.
It is part of the NOF's 297m New Opportunities for Health programme and includes community-based initiatives to encourage people to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Research from earlier pilots involving 500 schools indicated that teachers in more than half the schools noticed an improvement in the classroom atmosphere and a marked increase in children's attention levels.
Schools wanting to be part of the London School Fruit Programme should telephone 020 7725 5677.