1999/0084
''Cooking for Kids'' launched at North Westminster Community School
This week, celebrity chefs will be visiting schools across the country to give kids top tips during the holiday cooking scheme, Cooking for Kids. Tessa Jowell, Public Health Minister launched the scheme today as part of the Government''s healthy schools initiative.
At North Westminster School, the first venue of the RSA''s Focus on Food cooking bus, Ms Jowell said:
"Nearly three thousand 11-12 year olds will take part in Cooking for Kids to learn about food preparation, food safety and hygiene and be taught basic cooking skills. The aim is to give children a half-term they will enjoy and a greater understanding about food and the importance of eating well as part of being healthy.
"Cooking is an essential skill but while 9 out of 10 children know how to play a computer game, only half know how to boil an egg! We hope that ''Cooking for Kids'' will help get children back into the kitchen. This is the first week of the scheme which will continue during the Easter and summer holidays."
During the week, the RSA Focus on Food Cooking Bus will travel the country to give children the chance try their hand at healthy cooking. Celebrity chefs will visit 38 secondary schools to help run cookery sessions. Around 75 primary schools are joining up with the secondary schools for this initiative.
Charles Clarke, Schools Minister, said:
"This is an excellent project which will contribute fully to the overall aims of the healthy schools initiative reflecting our commitment when raising educational standards to tackle health inequalities. There are many clear benefits from this venture. It will not only advocate the importance of eating healthy food but also provide young people with a wonderful opportunity to develop new cooking skills and benefit from the expertise of top chefs."
Celebrity chef, Antony Worrall Thompson joined Ms Jowell at the launch to give expert advice to local children. He said: "Cooking for Kids is an exciting and fun way for children to learn about healthy eating and a great opportunity to polish their cooking skills."
Notes to Editors: [
COOKING FOR KIDS TIMETABLE FOR THE WEEK
FOCUS ON FOOD BUS TOUR
DATE VENUE CHEF
*LAUNCH* *LAUNCH *LAUNCH* 15 Feb 1999 North Westminster School, London Antony Worrall Thompson 16 Feb 1999 Waitrose, Hall Green, Birm Jonathan Harrison 17 Feb 1999 South Manchester High School, Andrew Nutter Manchester
REST OF THE WEEK DATE VENUE CHEF
15 Feb 1999 Eastbourne School, Darlington Liz Trigg Priory High School, Exeter Roz Denny Stanchester Comm School, Somerset Ursula Ferrigno
Langland School, Milton Keynes Mary Berry Poundswick High School, Manchester Tessa Bramley Callington School, Cornwall Sonia Stevenson Ripley St Thomas School, Lancaster Roz Denny
16 Feb 1999 Sandown School, Isle of Wight Ursula Ferrigno De Brus School, Cleveland Paul Rankin Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford Mary Berry Ridgeway School, Swindon Antony Worrall Thompson Braunton School, North Devon Sonia Stevenson Coseley School, Bilston James Martin Bedford High School Lesley Waters
16/17 Feb 1999 Haywood High School, Hereford own chef Falmouth Community School own chef
17 Feb 1999 Airedale High School, West Yorks James Martin Sth Mancester High School Liz Trigg Nth Cumbria Tech College, Carlisle Roz Denny Preston School, Monks Dale, Somerset Sonia Stevenson Newbold Comm School, Chesterfield Paul Rankin Reddish Vale Tech College, Cheshire Tessa Bramley Warren Comp School, Romford, Essex Anthony Worrall Thomson Belfairs Comm School, Leigh-on-Sea Lesley Waters
18 Feb 1999 Egerton Park High School, Manchester Nick Nairn Grange School, Stourbridge Roz Denny Farringtons and Stratford House, Kent Lesley Waters Court Moor School, Fleet, Hants Clare Ferguson Westlands High School, Congleton, Cheshire Liz Trigg Alsop High School, Liverpool James Martin 18-19 Feb 1999 Ordsall Hal School, Retford, Notts own chef 18-20 Feb 1999 Oadby Beauchamp Coll, Oadby, Leics Bill Maynard (actor) 19 Feb 1999 Berwick High School James Martin George Ward School, Melksham, Wilts Lesley Waters Cranmer Middle School, Mitcham own chef ] 2. The RSA and the Food Foundation have supported the scheme and worked in partnership with the Departments of Health and Education and Employment to organise the week''s events. Waitrose have sponsored the RSA Focus on Food bus and will supply ingredients for events on the bus.
3. The 1993 MORI Children''s Cooking Skills, research for the Get Cooking! project revealed that when 284 7-15 year olds were interviewed:
93% knew how to play a computer game 61% can programme a video to record something on TV 77% can use a CD or music centre 54% can bake a cake 38% could cook a jacket potato in the oven 59% could grill 75% could microwave 88% could make toast 23% could make spaghetti bolognese
4. For further information about Cooking for Kids, please call:
Cathy Thompson Department of Health Tel 0171 210 5435 Emily Hands Department of Health Tel 0171 210 5233 Samantha Hodder DfEE Tel 0171 925 5476 Helen Dickinson Waitrose Tel 01334 824 565 RSA Focus on Food Tel 01422 383 191 Food Foundation Tel 0171 388 7421
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