Healthy schools get a boost in Bendigo and Castlemaine
Friday, 5 February 2010
State MPs Jacinta Allan and Bob Cameron today announced that students at five government schools in the Bendigo and Castlemaine area will enjoy getting active and healthy this year after receiving Brumby Government grants of up to $6000 each.
The ‘Go for your life' Healthy Start in Schools program provides schools with funding to revamp school canteens, purchase new sporting and fitness equipment and provide better areas for students to enjoy physical activity.
Making the announcement at Strathfieldsaye Primary School this morning Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan said local primary schools Strathfieldsaye, Camp Hill, Comet Hill, Kangaroo Flat and Guildford would receive $6000 each and were among 173 Victorian government schools with primary students receiving Healthy Start grants this year.
"It is incredibly important that our local children learn the benefits of living a healthy and active life while they are still young," she said.
Ms Allan said the Strathfieldsaye School had received $6000 and would be replacing the old oven, which has an insufficient capacity to cope with school lunches, and the canteen chest freezer.
She said that the school is very involved promoting healthy eating and physical activities with its own vegetable garden and propagation area for vegetables and native plants, a Healthy Canteen that has been operating for many years, healthy food snacks in the classroom, the Free Fruit Fridays program and a nut free zone.
"Accessing the best health and physical activity facilities at school will certainly go a long way toward establishing good habits for the future.
"Students who are healthy, active and happy also stand to benefit the most from their time at school by being alert and ready to learn."
Bob Cameron, Member for Bendigo West said the grants would also encourage students' families to develop healthy living cultures at home.
"When parents see schools creating new vegetable gardens and purchasing new sporting and fitness equipment they receive a very clear message about the importance of promoting healthy eating and physical activities to their children," he said.
"It is a joint responsibility for both schools and families to encourage students to embrace the healthy living messages which will put them on the path to living long and healthy lives."
The ‘Go for your life' Healthy Start in Schools program complements a range of Brumby Government initiatives aimed at encouraging healthy lifestyles among students, including:
• ‘Go for your life' Free Fruit Friday
• The development of the ‘Go for your life' Healthy Canteen Kit;
• The removal of high-sugar content drinks from government school canteens;
• A ban on confectionery sales at Victorian government schools;
• The ‘Go for your life' Kitchen Garden Project with Stephanie Alexander.
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