Community food and health Scotland

�7 million for third sector

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

The Scottish Government has just launched two new programmes.

The £3 million Just Enterprise programme will deliver a wide range of business support to social entrepreneurs and third sector organisations across Scotland.

A further £4 million will be provided through the Enterprise Growth Fund. This will see grants of between £25,000 and £200,000 awarded to enterprising third sector organisations with the most sustainable and ambitious business plans.

The full press release is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/07/18120453

More information and details of how to apply are available from www.justenterprise.org

Obesity Route Map - Action Plan

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

In February 2010, the Scottish Government and COSLA launched a long-term obesity strategy entitled Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight.

The 'Obesity Route Map' recognised that it is difficult for people to be able to change their behaviour alone, as the environment we live in today means that for most people weight gain becomes almost inevitable.

The Scottish Government has now published an action plan and indicators to accompany the strategy.

Nutritional Guidance for Children and Young People in Residential Care Settings

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

The Scottish Government yesterday published new nutritional guidance to help improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people in residential care settings.

It provides nutritional and practical guidance along with information and advice that will assist practitioners to support the children and young people in their care.

The guidance is available at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/02/17140611/0

The consultation report, Children and young people's views and experiences of food and nutrition in residential care, that informed the guidance, is available from:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/341963

The best possible start

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Many of you involved in food and health work and early years will have contributed experience and opinions to the Scottish Government's development of a maternal and infant nutrition strategy. Following a draft ‘Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework’ circulated in October 2010, this framework was launched on Tuesday 18 January 2011 in Edinburgh.

At the same event other tools for the delivery of maternal and child health including a Breastfeeding national marketing campaign (January 2011) and a range of other relevant guidance documents were launched.

CFHS will be following the progress of how the framework will be implemented and what this means for the involvement of the community food sector.

www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/01/13095228/0 www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/01/18101517

Maternal and infant nutrition in Scotland

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Health improvement outcomes in Early Years are a key priority for all of us and strongly supported by the Scottish Government through a range of policies and actions. Over the last two years the Scottish government and a variety of organisations including the community and voluntary sector have been developing a framework to improve maternal and infant nutrition. The recently published draft framework is aimed at a variety of organisations with a role in improving maternal and infant nutrition. The framework recognises that many organisations, primarily and including the NHS, local authorities and the community and voluntary sector have the most opportunity to influence behaviour change.

The Scottish Government is keen to hear any comments on the draft framework and ask that any comments are forwarded strictly within the deadline which is Friday 29 October to Kevin.mcardle@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

To download the framework visit www.maternityservices.scot.nhs.uk/index.php/subsections/infant-nutrition

Two further reports have been published by NHS Health Scotland to complement the draft framework:

1. What is known about maternal and infant nutrition in Scotland?
The report outlines routine data sources used to inform the Scottish Government’s development of the Maternal and Infant Nutrition Framework. The report, a web-only publication, summary briefing and press release are available at www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Publications/scotphoreports/pub_infantnutrition.asp

2.Rationales for the Action Plan activities in the Draft Framework

This report is intended to support the Maternal and Infant Nutrition action plan to explain how the group tasked with developing the draft framework decided what to include in the package of activities set out in it. Details of evidence and other considerations that informed their decision-making process are also included in it. The report is available at www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/13869-ImprovingMaternalAndInfantNutrition_FrameworkForAction.pdf

Scottish Grocer's Federation Healthyliving Programme expansion

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

A joint £1.3 million investment from the Scottish Government and retailers to promote healthier food options in convenience stores has recently been announced.

The Scottish Government plans to invest £679,000 over three years to extend the Scottish Grocers' Federation (SGF) Healthyliving Programme, matched by a £650,000 investment from retailers.

The Healthyliving Programme provides shops with the means to display - including chillers and shelving - and promote fresh, healthy produce.

To read the Scottish Government press release in full visit www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/02/26170030

Preventing Overweight and Obesity: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

On 22 February the Scottish Government launched a long-term obesity strategy, Preventing Overweight and Obesity: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight.

The Route Map identired four key areas in which action is likely to have the greatest effect - reducing demand for and consumption of excessive amounts of high calorie foods and drinks; increasing opportunities for uptake of walking, cycling and other physical activity; establishing life-long healthy habits in children; and increasing the responsibility of organisations for the health and wellbeing of their employees.

A joint leadership group will be set up to implement the Route Map, and a national event in 2010 will allow stakeholders from all sectors an opportunity to be involved in helping shape actions that come out of the policies identified in the Route Map.

Further information is available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/02/22095151

Schools to benefit from Recipe for Success

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment, Richard Lochhead, recently unveiled plans by the Scottish Government to teach children and young people about the supply chain and where food comes from as well as how it benefits their health, the economy and the environment.

Activities will include:

- food and farming visits for 1800 primary school pupils
- cooking demos for 1000 pupils at the Royal Highland Show
- farmers' market schools pilot
- activities to educate pupils about the food industry and considering it as a career choice

To read more about the plans visit www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/02/19112835

National Food and Drink Policy for Scotland

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Richard Lochhead, Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary, unveiled 'Recipe for Success' - setting out the next steps for the national food and drink policy - this morning at the Royal Highland Show.

It sets out steps to bring together key issues of health and environmental sustainability with business and community needs, and stresses the importance of strengthening community food and health initiatives.

Recipe for Success can be accessed here http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/06/25133322/0

The Leadership Forum report can be accessed here

Leadership Forum Report: Development of the National Food and Drink Policy

Healthy Weight communities

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Public Health Minister Shona Robison has launched a trial programme to bring whole communities, towns or cities together to eat more healthily and be more active in addressing childhood obesity.

Eight sites will take part in the programme: Dundee, Dumfries, SW Glasgow, North and East Ayrshire, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire.

This trial has been inspired by a French programme known as EPODE (Preventing Childhood Obesity Together) which achieved a 25% reduction in obesity in participating areas.

To read more visit www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/05/28093241
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8071679.stm

Community Empowerment Plan

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

The Scottish Government has launched its community empowerment action plan, which builds on its joint statement with CoSLA on community empowerment in 2008.

The action plan sets out a range of new and practical actions that underpin the process of community empowerment. New initiatives include a participatory budgeting pilot and an investment in the community engagement database -VOiCE.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/03/20155113/0

Healthy Start for kids at school

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Pilot projects aimed at improving children's health by providing targeted health-related services at school were unveiled yesterday by the Scottish Government as the first Equally Well implementation plan was published.

The first children's health and wellbeing support pilot gets underway in South Ayrshire in January, followed by others in Moray, West Lothian and Clackmannanshire.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison also announced the roll out of Keep Well checks - which aim to identify people at risk of heart disease, diabetes or strokes - to more parts of Scotland.

The plan highlights progress made to date to implement the recommendations of Equally Well and outlines what further progress is expected over the next two years.

The full press release is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/12/11100653

Equally Well

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

Equally Well, the report of the ministerial task force on health inequalities was launched last week by Minister for Public Health, Shona Robison.

The report highlights the £1.78 billion being spent on tackling health inequalities over the next three years but recommends that this resource can deliver better outcomes by re-designing public services. This is backed by £15 million of new money to achieve this aim.

More information is available from www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2008/06/19155721

Review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan

Jim Byrne — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:57:13

The review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan has now been completed by a distinguished panel, chaired by Prof Tim Lang.

Why not give your opinion of the review, whether it reflects your impressions, concerns, or aspirations, on our new discussion forum?