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Led by nutritionist Meghan Pearson, Chartwells hosted three fun and engaging educational workshops all about cooking and nutrition. The purpose of the sessions was to provide primary school pupils and families in the local community with an opportunity to socialise and improve their food education.

Pupils learnt more about the importance of eating healthy, nutritious meals, while putting their cooking skills to the test by making fruit kebabs. At Wickham School, pupils also got creative with hummus making, equipping them with the knowledge and resources needed to help fuel their development and promote the importance of health and wellbeing.

Pearson said: “We’re determined to continue reaching young people and educating them on the importance of eating healthy and nutritious meals both inside and outside of school. We’re thrilled to offer young people the chance to enjoy learning about food with their families.

“We understand that many families may struggle to fill the ‘gap’ that exists for many during the holidays, and the cost-of-living crisis is putting further strain on these families, so ensuring pupils have resources available to support their mental and physical development is vital.”

Since last summer, Chartwells has reached 2,976 children and adults out of term-time through their workshops and have plans to extend their reach this summer.  

Hazel Davison, school business manager at Whickham School, commented: “We understand that the holidays can put a huge amount of pressure on families in our local area for many reasons. The support Chartwells provides during school holidays has a tangible positive impact within the community.

“Not only does it provide engaging activities that bring food to life, but it gives us the opportunity to engage parents and bring to life the nutritious food that is served to their children during term time. Food is a powerful tool that can be used to bring people and communities together.

“The frontline team from Chartwells fundamentally care about the children they serve at school, and that purpose is reflecting across the wider team. To have the support of the wider nutrition team in delivering educational workshops for the wider community is incredibly valuable and we very much look forward to building and growing this programme over the summer, through collaboration.”