In 2008, 248 groups and agencies applied to the CFHS small grant scheme, 59 of these were successful and £100,000 of grants was awarded in August 2008. Most NHS Boards areas of Scotland had successful grant recipients.

 

All successful applicants had shown how their planned healthy eating activities would have a positive impact for the low-income communities that they worked with. Many of the successful applicants showed additional strengths, such as evidence that their activities were needed and wanted by those who might benefit from them, ideas for continuing some or all healthy activities after the grant was spent, or work that fitted in with local or national priorities.

 

After the funding was awarded, four of the grant recipients were unable to deliver their planned activities so returned or did not accept their grant. Two of these groups had to close their organisations due to financial difficulties, a key member of staff in another group was unable to work due to ill-health and the remaining recipient who did not accept their grant was unable to deliver the activities. Three of these grants were reallocated to other groups working in the same area. So, overall 58 groups received funding from the small grant scheme in 2008. Grant recipients were expected to have spent their grant and completed an evaluation report by September 2009. 

The grant recipients were sent a four-page evaluation form [PDF, 136kb] or asked to send a report so we could hear how they were getting on after they had been awarded their grant. Thirty-eight groups had started or were part-way through delivering their activities by May 2009, so had adequate information to feed back to us. Fourteen groups who had only just started or were yet to start their activities delayed sending their evaluation report or were sent a second evaluation form around a year after they received funding.

 

Six groups did not send any written reports or evaluations at all. However, two of these had asked to delay their work by one year, two others had contacted us by phone to let us know how they were getting on, only two were not in contact at all. Grant recipients who do not keep us adequately informed of their grant funded activities are less likely to receive CFHS funding in the near future.

All grant recipients who reported back to us delivered the activities that they had outlined in their grant application. There were many slight changes, and these were often as the result of tailoring activities to the needs of people taking part in activities. For example, one of the groups delivering cooking activities with parents had found that the parents did not have some of the basic kitchen utensils required to try some of the recipes again at home. So the group spent a small amount of its grant on basic utensils and gave these to those who took part in the cookery sessions. Other groups that made changes included those who bought slightly different equipment to what they had originally planned. Any slight changes that were made to activities were in keeping with the aims of the small grant scheme.

Most of the groups received help from other people or organisations. This included advice, help to deliver activities, provision of a venue or other types of support. Helpers included: volunteers, community food workers, NHS dietitians, environmental health staff, Healthy Living Centres, oral health staff and community education staff.

Grant recipients worked with a wide range of groups. Many of these fitted into the priority groups that were outlined by the Scottish Government in 2008 in the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) action plan. These priority groups are communities, early years, school age children, older people and adults and workplaces. 23% of the CFHS funded activities involved Early Years settings or work with primary school age children, a further 15% worked with young people (under the age of 25), including those still at secondary school. 5% of the work involved older people (over the age of 50 years).

 

Half of the grant recipients gave more details about those they worked with other than their age, area or needs. These groups included those working with people who have experienced, or were in danger of experiencing homelessness; those with mental health support needs, learning disabilities,  autism or a long-term illness; young parents; overweight or obese people; and people who misused or were addicted to drugs or alcohol. Some groups also worked with people from black, ethnic or minority (BME) backgrounds.

Around a quarter of the groups delivered more than one type of food and health activity. Over half the activities (58%) involved cookery or food preparation skills. Many of these involved hands-on cooking and emphasised learning to prepare healthy affordable meals.

 

17% of the activities involved supporting or starting activities that provide affordable healthy meals or food, these included fruit barras or food co-ops, school tuck shops, community cafes and a lunch club. 13% of the activities involved growing fruit and vegetables. The remaining 12% of activities included training for trainers, weight-loss activities, weaning skills sessions and taster and information activities.

All the grant recipients reported positive outcomes. Those delivering cookery or food preparation skills sessions reported positive effects such as: increased confidence, changes to, or more awareness of eating habits of self and family, trying new foods and recipes at home, and ‘cooking from scratch more’. Those working with young people mentioned the social benefits of cooking and eating together.

 

Those running cookery activities said:

“All the parents reported an increase in the time spent with the family round the table at meal times. …time spent sharing mealtimes helped with the children’s attitude to food and eating and resulted in less ‘hassle’ at mealtimes.”

“The courses have proved popular and there is always a waiting list.”

Comments from participants attending cookery sessions included:

“All meals we made [on the course] were cheap and healthy which has helped me to stop eating so many takeaways.”

“I think more about what the kids are eating…”

“I feel the Cook Club went really well. This has made me cook more for myself and others…”

Those involved in providing affordable meals or food in venues such as food co-ops, tuck shops and community cafes all reported successes. Most of these groups used their grant money to improve or further develop existing activities, such as by providing staff and volunteers with training or by buying new equipment. These activities were successful, equipment (such as baked potato cookers, etc) was purchased and volunteers and staff attended training. Training included REHIS Food Hygiene and REHIS Elementary Food and Health courses (basic nutrition). Staff involved in one of the food co-ops had undertaken a survey of customers; this found that the co-op had helped customers increase the amount of fruit and vegetables they purchased. However, another smaller-scale volunteer-run fruit and vegetable co-op had been less successful: they had not been able to sell the produce at competitive enough prices and customers said they could find produce cheaper elsewhere. This group planned to continue other healthy eating activities.

 

Gardening activities reported successes, although these took a bit longer to get started due to the fact that the grant is given out late in the autumn. Grant recipients involved in food growing activities included: schools; nurseries; groups working with people with learning disabilities, people with autism and young people who have experienced homelessness.

 

Group staff and volunteers reported benefits such as:

“Eight young people have learnt how to grow their own produce.”

“We have been surprised at the interest this project has generated from our service-users with some people becoming more involved that we would never have thought.”

The groups delivering weaning sessions found these had a positive impact on parents and those that had completed the sessions were keen to actively encourage other parents to attend. The participants attending the group focusing on weight loss all managed to successfully lose some weight, as well as learn more about healthy eating, despite the fact that the short course was run around Christmas time.

About half of the groups evaluated their work informally, such as by speaking with participants individually or during meetings. Some groups also provided us with photos. Around half of the groups used more formal methods to evaluate their work, such as feedback forms or questionnaires for participants. Some of these also carried out baseline and post-activity questionnaires or carried out quizzes to find out what participants had learnt from taking part in activities.

More than half of the groups planned, or hoped to continue some or all food and health activities after spending their grant. The groups that were most likely to continue most or all of their activities were those that had spent their grant on gardening, kitchen or cafe equipment or staff and volunteer training.  Around a quarter of the groups said they would need to seek further funding or sponsorship to continue food and health activities, one quarter of the groups were unsure about the future of their food and health activities or did not indicate their plans.

For further information on 2008 grant recipients download the 2009 grants special edition newsletter [PDF, 340 kb].

 

In summer 2010 CFHS will be following up 2008 grant recipients to find out what impact the small grant scheme has had on their work.