New schools’ project promotes eating fish
The project, which is in its trial phase, will teach tiddlers the nutritional benefits of eating seafood and seeks to plug the hole in nutritional education within schools by encouraging kids to include fish and shellfish in their diet.
The government body put out a call for industry partners before Christmas and received the backing of 12 companies to work with the 33 schools in the pilot North Lincolnshire area, reaching nearly 3,000 pupils.
“We’re connected with lots of industry associations, like the Grimsby Fish Merchants, which have members that have pledged their interest,” said Jo Dunlop, promotions and marketing manager for Seafish, whose board is made up of representatives from industry that have been calling for more activities to educate consumers.
‘Influential time’
The scheme would bring industry players into schools to impart the knowledge and experience of seafood “at an influential time”, added Dunlop. The success of the trial will determine whether the project extends beyond North Lincolnshire.
“So far the kids have had a very positive experience ̶ every single one took a fish pie home and told their parents about it ̶ and enjoyed it,” she said. “The teachers’ feedback is that they don’t have enough guidance in that area and our research with teachers and pupils found that too. Having expert knowledge and giving children something to make made a huge difference.”
Seafish, which works with skills bodies such as food and drink sector skills council Improve through the Seafood Training Academy, set up the trial. It is looking to explore partnerships as it considers rolling out the scheme nationally. Currently, it is also working with the British Nutrition Foundation, which has recruited 2,000 schools, amounting to 1M children, for its Healthy Happy Hearts programme, which highlights the role of omega-3 fatty acids in improving heart health.
‘Big success’
Meanwhile, in Scotland, a three-year Seafood in Schools programme is coming to the end of its first year, with an evaluation due later this week. The Scottish government-sponsored project, which worked with 19 high schools and 103 associated primary schools, has been a big success, said Graham Young, head of Seafood Scotland.
He is expecting the scheme to get the green light for a second year. “It has been very well received by the teachers we work with ̶ there are materials that they build with, in and around the event happening, for follow-up projects,” he said. “We’ve had great support from retailers through to processing companies and fisherman, right along the supply chain, coming to our events to tell kids how fish gets onto their plate.”
Duncan Lucas, seafood specialist at Young’s Seafood, said perceptions about the industry needed to be influenced from a young age: “Children can be very specific about what they’ll accept in their diets and it’s very easy for them to say ‘no, I don’t like it’. Their first reaction might be ‘urgh, sticky, smelly fish’. But through education and actually getting a product in front of them, we discovered that you can actually change their perception of seafood in general."
