Young people visiting three of Leicester’s leisure centres can pick up a free piece of fruit as part of a pilot scheme to encourage healthy eating.
From January 23rd, children and young people visiting Aylestone, Braunstone and Cossington leisure centres will be able to choose a piece of fruit to eat after their fitness activities.
Deputy city mayor, Councillor Rory Palmer, who chairs the city’s health and wellbeing board, said, “This initiative is a simple, practical way to help children and young people to eat more healthily”.
“We know that children and young people who make healthier choices early on in life are more likely to continue eating healthily as adults”.
“Getting young people to move more and eat more healthily is a key way to ease pressures on health services and can help to prevent more serious health problems from occurring later on in life.”
Councillor Piara Singh Clair, assistant city mayor responsible for culture, leisure and sport, added, “It’s already very positive that so many children and young people use our leisure centres. This initiative will help them to think about eating healthily, complementing the good work they are already doing by getting active.”
Fruit will be available at the three centres on a first-come, first-served basis. The pilot will run until mid February.
Distributing free fruit at leisure centres was recommended by the Child Poverty Commission.
The commission has set out a wide range of recommendations offering immediate, practical support for families, as well as longer-term actions and proposals for policy change.
More information can be found at: www.leicester.gov.uk/ourhealthycity
