School meals raise charity cash

A new school meal scheme aims to encourage pupils to eat healthier by raising money for charity.

Children in East Ayrshire's 53 schools will be awarded points for every healthy school meal they buy.

The points can then be traded in for books, shoes or livestock which will be given to disadvantaged children and their families by Save the Children.

If the unique Get Stuck In initiative is a success, the charity hopes to introduce it in other parts of the UK.

East Ayrshire Council said the project would raise cash for charity while also empowering children to make decisions, raise awareness of social issues and encourage take-up of school meals.

The points raised will be added up at the end of term to allow Save the Children to purchase a variety of essentials for needy children and their families.

"I think children are very interested in social issues and particularly what is happening around the world"
Robin Gourlay
East Ayrshire Council

Save the Children said 140 points could feed a starving child for a week, while 280 points was enough to get a new school desk, 780 points would buy a bicycle and 3,200 points would allow the charity to deliver a Yak to provide milk, wool and ploughing help.

Children can also decide to buy things for disadvantaged children in the UK.

Robin Gourlay, head of Facilities Management at the council, told BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland that Get Stuck In was different from other school healthy-eating initiatives because the pupils themselves did not receive any reward.

He added: "We have developed what I call a sustainable school meal service in East Ayrshire that really is ethically based.

"We use all local produce, much of it organic, and therefore this idea of an ethical marketing scheme where children sitting down to enjoy a healthy school meal could also help other people around the world.

"I think children are very interested in social issues, and particularly what is happening around the world, and I am very excited and optimistic that they are going to fully engage with this and we will have a very successful campaign."

Children's development

Ana Maria Law, of Save the Children, said she was confident other schools across the UK would be interested in taking up the scheme.

She added: "The whole issue of healthy eating is obviously fundamental to children's development, mental and physical, whether it be a child here in Scotland or a child in Tibet.

"Robin already takes the holistic approach - in terms of the message of healthy eating is already in the classrooms of the schools in East Ayrshire.

"We are going to add to that with teacher's resources based around the various gifts that they could buy so that they can understand the needs of other children and see their contribution to the whole scheme."