Healthy Eating
Sue Parfitt, Gumley House’s head of food technology has decided to change the curriculum module for all Yr 8 students from ‘‘design to make’’ which previously predominantly featured layered cakes to ‘‘fast healthy food’’.
Mrs Parfitt explained her reasoning to ensure her students from Gumley ‘’achieve basic healthy cookery skills which can translate into family meals.’’
‘’They should be able to make a variety of quick healthy dishes while applying aspects of nutrition, wise shopping and hygiene to food choice and cooking.’’
After school cookery classes take place at Gumley every Thursday from 3.45-5.50pm.
In collaboration with the Isleworth Extended Schools Team, Luigia Maddaloni and Maryam Shams, both health trainers and cookery & community education tutors, are running various classes for school children as well as adults to promote healthy eating.
On a weekly basis they run after school cookery classes at a range of secondary schools, including Gumley House, The Green. Lampton and Brentford School for Girls. They are inspiring their students with a range of healthy and creative dishes such as Jambalaya rice, Cornish pasties and tortilla wraps which they can take home for all the family to eat and use as ideas for their packed lunch. Luigia and Maryam say “The best part of teaching is assisting children who start the club with very little cookery skills, to improve these skills, and see them gain confidence and develop a will to experiment with new ingredients and new recipes”.
Their determination to drive forward the healthy, home made food message is now successfully building links with parents too. From March, they will be running Healthy Packed Lunch Workshops for parents at various primary schools in Isleworth. Their first one was launched on Monday 9th March ‘09 at the South Isleworth Children’s Centre, Worple School. The aim is to provide workshops that are suitable for all cookery skills levels, for those who cannot cook, right up to those who just want to be better. Classes are fun, stimulating, interactive and with an informal atmosphere. Sessions aim to introduce participants to the topic of Healthy Eating and will encourage people to try different foods and diets, learn more about nutrients and understand the importance of a healthy and balanced diet for a healthy mind and body.
The remit of a health trainer is someone who lives and works in a community to motivate and support individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Article from THE CHRONICLE (March 2009)
