"Eat This! - you can't beat this," says Mike German

12.00.00am GMT Wed 18th Jan 2006

Speaking ahead of the formal launch of the Healthy School Meals pilot Eat This! on Thursday January 19, Mike German AM said; "After two long years, I'm delighted that this project has finally come to fruition."

The launch, which takes place in Deri View School in Abergavenny, is the culmination of a two-year pilot, funded by Monmouthshire County Council, Adventa, the WDA, the Welsh Assembly and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It's aim is to to try and stem the increase in childhood obesity and increase children's' concentration levels and behaviour.

Mike German, Lib Dem Assembly Member for South Wales East, said: " This is a trail-blazing approach which seeks to change attitudes towards nutrition in schools and looks at the whole supply chain from farm to fork. This project mean that schoolchildren in the area will benefit from more fresh food which will improve their health and concentration. The rural economy will also benefit, with local suppliers given increased opportunities to break into a new market.

"We believe our project breaks new ground in the way it adopts a "whole school" approach. It tackles the issues of diet and obesity by educating everyone about healthy eating and nutrition, from the children themselves to the catering staff, parents and school governors. Schools will play a major part in delivering a successful pilot. Visits to farmers and producers to learn about the origins of food and its production will also be part of the package, and so will fun activities to encourage healthy eating. "

Cllr Doug Edwards of Abergavenny, said: "The number of cases of obesity in the UK has tripled in the last 20 years. All too often school catering contributes to this because procurement contracts encourage buying the cheapest produce rather than the best.

"In the six Monmouthshire schools, menus are being amended so that pupils eat healthy meals that are sourced locally. And it's not just about nutrition on the plate - it's about getting nutrition in the curriculum via cooking and visiting local producers. "By working through the chain from the local farmers to the children who eat the food, the local economy gets a boost whilst the health of our children improves. The pilot concentrates on increasing the use of fresh, seasonal, unprocessed and organic produce for school meals. If we are to get to grips with the obesity 'epidemic' then we must tackle it at the root - and that means healthy, tasty and local food for our children."

In Monmouthshire the local authority spends an average 42 pence per head on schoolchildren's meals, compared to an average spend in Wales of 49 pence. However Monmouthshire's present meal charges are amongst the cheapest in Wales and take up in the schools is well above the national average. The average spend in Wales is still less than half the average £1 spend per head in Italy, where schools are required by law to use "organic, typical and traditional products", leading to the use of more fresh, unprocessed ingredients and local products.