SCHOOLS across York have won thousands of pounds worth of grants to promote healthy eating to pupils.

The £135,000 cash from a Government pot inspired by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's nutrition campaign will go to projects including fruit tuck shops and school gardens.

Thirty schools across the city put in bids for the cash after the city's forum of schools opted to pool the money instead of handing smaller amounts to every school.

The Press revealed last week how the price of school meals in York will rise from £1.60 to £1.75 because fewer pupils are eating the lunches and there are higher nutritional standards after the TV chef's campaign. This week head teachers across the city were told of their successful bids, which include:

  • Acomb Primary School: £2,500 will go towards food taster sessions at parents' evenings and open days, running a fruit tuck shop and getting a celebrity chef to visit the school
  • Clifton Green Primary School: £3,500 will go towards a cookery club and taster sessions for parents
  • Manor CE School: £4,600 will go towards a cookery and healthy eating club, as well as promoting good food in different subjects
  • Rufforth Primary School: £5,000 will go towards building a greenhouse to grow food for the school's kitchen and running a fruit tuck shop.

Coun Carol Runciman, executive member for children's services, said: "I'm really pleased that they have been imaginative and that they are involving not just the children but parents and governors.

"The idea of children growing their own food is absolutely wonderful.

"Anything that involves them in understanding where their food comes from and why some foods are healthier than others is just great.

"The healthier the children's diet is, the better they behave and that link is not so obvious." The money forms part of £390,000 handed to City of York Council's education department by the Government to improve school meals and push the healthy-eating message.

The rest of the cash has gone towards improving the quality of school meals, putting on taster sessions to allow parents to try meals and training kitchen staff.

Phil Monk, contract manager in the education department, said: "Hopefully, food won't be seen as just something to be had at lunchtime, but something to be thought about throughout the day."