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Children's health and food

Expanding North Lambeth pilot to improve health in schools

17 March 2020
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2 min read
Georgia Burke
Digital Communications Officer

Following a successful pilot beginning in 2018, we are expanding a scheme to tackle childhood obesity in North Lambeth. 

Over four years, we will invest £900,000, working with schools and others in the local area. Battersea Power Station Foundation have contributed a further £500,000 to support the expansion.

 

Piloting new ways to eat and exercise in schools

The pilot supported children’s health in the local Oasis Academy primary and secondary schools. The expansion will build on this work to find sustainable ways to make healthy food and physical activity more accessible.

Over two years, the pilot provided more opportunities for the 800 students to run and play. We tested a range of innovative and scalable activities across the schools. Included in these were:

  • Fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, selling food at wholesale prices to incentivise parents to buy fresh produce
  • Active art classes, introducing physical activities not based on team sports

 

Looking beyond schools

While the pilot was focused on school environments, we know how young people eat and get active is influenced by many other places. The expansion will look at changes to early years settings, homes, and the local high streets.

The new projects will tap into community-led activism, working with local businesses and other key players to change the types of food available on the high street, while supporting healthier local food ventures.

The long-term aim is to make affordable, tasty and healthy food the easiest option for local children and families.

We are trailblazing a community-led approach to make healthier options the easier option. By redesigning and reshaping where local children and families spend their time, we can have the most impact. Through our work, we want to make sustainable changes to increase the number of healthy options available.

David Tchilingirian Project Director at Oasis Hub Waterloo

Working with Oasis Hub Waterloo

Our work in Oasis Academies has been delivered with our partner, Oasis Hub Waterloo

During this next phase, the hub will be working with Purpose – a social change organisation – to understand the experiences of young people in the area. The aim of this work is to be able to help make healthy eating and physical activity more accessible.

Our long-term joint ambition is for the successful model we develop to be scaled and replicated across the national network of Oasis community hubs, in other UK cities with high levels of childhood obesity. We’re excited to expand the project into the local community to improve children and young people’s health.

Rebecca Sunter Portfolio Manager for children's health and food