Herefordshire Council wins top award from Foods Standards Agency
Herefordshire Council is has scooped a prestigious grant from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
£10,000 has been awarded to the county for the development of a unique project aimed at providing food life skills for Herefordshire’s children and young people in care. This is a joint initiative with Herefordshire PCT, supported by the nurse for looked after children and young people, who is helping to co-ordinate the work.
The project will bring together some of the county’s looked after 14-19 year-olds and help them develop healthy cooking skills and acquire a food hygiene qualification.
Two courses will begin in October 2007and January 2008 where young people will be taught how to prepare and cook simple dishes, learn about healthier eating through practical food work, understand the use of food labels to make informed choices and learn how to apply food hygiene practices in the kitchen and make food safely.
The courses will run alongside a refurbishment programme funded by the Youth Opportunities Fund to provide a café project for young people in care at Centre 18, Symmonds Street, Hereford.
“This grants scheme is part of the Food Standards Agency’s work to support local initiatives that promote safe handling of food in the home and healthy eating, concentrating particularly on work with schools and local organisations,” said Robert Martin of the FSA’s microbiological safety.
“We were very impressed by the record number of applications for grants this year and the high standard and imaginative projects which will benefit local communities in raising awareness of healthy eating issues and improving standards of food hygiene.”
Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children and young people with Herefordshire Council, said: “This is really good news and an excellent incentive for young people to take part in something so relevant to the ongoing message about healthy food and local produce.
“It’s about far more than teaching food hygiene and cookery skills – it’s about building confidence, making new friends, and being able to lead independent healthy lives when they leave the care system.”
