Several leisure centres in Leicester are offering youngsters a free piece of fruit as part of a pilot scheme to encourage healthy eating.
From today (23 January), children and young people visiting Aylestone, Braunstone and Cossington leisure centres can choose a piece of fruit to eat after their fitness activities.
Deputy city mayor councillor Rory Palmer, who chairs the city’s health and wellbeing board, said: “This initiative is a simple, practical way to help children and young people to eat more healthily.
“We know that children and young people who make healthier choices early on in life are more likely to continue eating healthily as adults.
“Getting young people to move more and eat more healthily is a key way to ease pressures on health services and can help to prevent more serious health problems from occurring later on in life.”
Piara Singh Clair, assistant city mayor responsible for culture, leisure and sport, added: “It’s already very positive that so many children and young people use our leisure centres. This initiative will help them to think about eating healthily, complementing the good work they are already doing by getting active.”
Fruit will be available at the centres on a first-come, first-served basis, with the scheme running until mid-February.
The idea of distributing free fruit at leisure centres was recommended by the Child Poverty Commission.
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