A summer scheme aimed at providing healthy meals and enrichment activities to school pupils in Newport has been hailed a huge success by local Senedd Member Natasha Asghar.
The Newport and Islwyn politician headed to Milton Primary School recently to find out more about the Food and Fun initiative.
Milton is one of five schools taking part in the scheme which gives pupils in areas of socio-economic disadvantage healthy meals, food and nutrition education, physical activity, and enrichment sessions during the school holidays.
On the day Natasha visited, 56 children were taking part in the Food and Fun programme with Newport Library, Techniquest, and Newport Live staging activities for youngsters.
The Food for Fun scheme in Newport is being led by the city council and is administered by the Welsh Local Government Association with funding coming from the Welsh Government.
Other schools taking part in Newport including Monnow Primary School, St Woolos Primary School, Tredegar Park Primary School, and Gwent Is Coed.
Across Wales, there are 240 Food and Fun schemes running with some 16,000 children benefiting every day.
Natasha Asghar MS said:
“I take my hat off to every single person involved in the Food and Fun project which is delivering huge benefits to lots of children.
“It is getting children eating healthy foods that they haven’t had before, gets them moving with fun exercise, and keeps they engaged with exciting activities.
“Not only does it provide a vital lifeline for parents and families, but it also has many long term benefits such as driving up school attendance.
“It was a real pleasure seeing the children have so much fun and I would encourage more schools to get involved with the Food and Fun summer programme.”
