SLR attends a Healthy Living Programme Welby Breakfast and sees firsthand how local retailers are making a difference in their communities.
The SLR team arrives at Arkleston Primary School in Renfrew near Glasgow on a bright Thursday morning, still riding high on the previous night’s fantastic celebrations at the SLR Awards.
Pupils here are being treated to a Welby Breakfast courtesy of Spar Renfrew and the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Healthy Living Programme (HLP).
Store Manager Angie Gibson has taken on the task of prepping tasting pots of pineapple, apple, pear, melon, blueberry and orange. She tells SLR she would have stayed up partying until the early hours at the SLR Awards the previous evening – especially as owner Saleem Sadiq was awarded a Special Recognition accolade – but she selflessly headed home earlier to be fresh for this morning’s event.
The room soon fills with chatter as the first group of kids enters. They have their sports day this afternoon, so this extra nutritional boost is perfectly timed.
Energetic HLP director Kathryn Neil wastes no time introducing the kids to the store and HLP team members and explains why it is vital to eat a healthy breakfast. She keeps her talk brief and engaging, before telling the children that they are about to be served some samples and emphasising that their happiness is key and so nobody has to eat anything they don’t want to.
She is ably assisted by HLP’s Yvonne Macdonald on the Weetabix and banana station, who is thoughtfully timing when she adds in the milk so that it doesn’t get soggy before the kids try it, and Gillian Edgar, who is running the brown toast and banana station like a pro.
Father and son, Saleem and Waseem, are ready to help dish up the tasters, with extra assistance from SLR’s Helen Lyons, Garry Cole and Sarah Britton.
In 15-minute slots, each year group is swiftly educated on the importance of healthy eating, before being served up their samples. Most kids can’t resist the scent of freshly cooked toast and plenty tuck in to their Weetabix and fruit pots. Even those who are less forthcoming take the opportunity to touch and smell the fruit.
When asked for their feedback, SLR is inundated with positive comments. Seven-year-old Jack is pleased as punch to have bitten into his first blueberry, while nine-year-old maverick, Isla, is delighted with herself when she comes up with the idea of pouring her fruit pot onto her Weetabix to create a new combination. Lots of kids try pineapple and pear for the first time, while nine-year-old Abbie tells SLR she normally eats waffles for breakfast, but that she will be asking her parents for Weetabix tomorrow.
P3 teacher, Miss Orr, is extremely thankful to everyone running the event: “It’s absolutely fabulous because it gives children an opportunity to have a healthy breakfast, which promotes healthy eating and, with sports day being held this afternoon, they’ll have all the energy to run as best they can.
“It can have a long-term impact too because it exposes the children to a healthy experience, which will hopefully promote positive thoughts and feelings.”
Waseem explains that the shop has supported similar events at other local schools. “We did another breakfast last year,” he says. “It’s nice to get out and do something different.”
Generous Saleem, who also gifted the school extra water bottles for sports day, is only too glad to give up his time to help. He says: “Whether we gain new customers out of it, it would be difficult to say, but having said that, we are relatively busy and maybe it is because we are often in your face taking part in different community projects.”
But his main reason for taking part is simply because he believes that supporting the community and promoting healthier habits is the right thing to do. “Doing events like this gives us a profile that we’re part of the community,” he says. “We want to be out there along with our customers because it is important to support the local area. It’s the job of the parents, teachers and politicians to get kids away from sugary sweets and into healthier eating habits and we’re more than happy to support it.”
The feel-good factor is undeniable as the kids are sent off with stickers, goody bags and fuller bellies.
There are over 2,362 retailers working with HLP, 67% of which are situated in areas of deprivation. Together they have served up 46,050 breakfasts and counting – an incredible example of how Scottish local retailers are true pillars of their communities.
Head over to healthylivingprogramme.co.uk if you want to find out more.
- Children’s names have been changed to protect their identities
