Bus parks up at Wisley Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Gardens in Woking Surrey
Thursday 18 May 2006
School children attending Wisley RHS Gardens are in for a treat this week as the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) Cooking Bus arrives for a week of stimulating cooking workshops.
The FSA Cooking Bus, which was developed in partnership with the RSA founded Focus on Food campaign is a state-of-the-art mobile kitchen classroom, which for the last three years has been travelling around the country to teach children basic cooking skills.
School pupils stepping onboard the Cooking Bus at Wisley will have the opportunity to improve their knowledge of cooking, nutrition and food hygiene by taking part in Cooking Bus activities. The children will also be visiting the gardens at Wisley where they will learn where fruits and vegetables come from, how they are grown, and how to use fresh fruits and vegetables in cooking.
Gill Fine, Director of Consumer Choice & Dietary Health at the Food Standards Agency said:
'It's vital for children to learn about food and nutrition and understand the importance of a balanced diet. The FSA Cooking Bus encourages young people to cook, helps them to appreciate the qualities of good food and most importantly, shows them that cooking healthy meals from scratch can be fun.'
Claire Dudley, RHS Gardens Wisley said: 'We are introducing children to foods they have never seen before. Many children only know vegetables such as carrots and cabbage. They have not yet experienced the range of vegetables that are available today. Through showing the children the history and origin of fruits and vegetables, we hope to inspire them. The children will be cooking with the vegetables that are grown here at Wisley RHS Gardens.'
Notes to editors:
If you are interested in attending one of the sessions, interviewing the teachers and photographing the pupils cooking in the workshops please contact Angela Owusu at the FSA Press Office on 0207 276 8822
Cooking sessions are on:
Thursday 25th May:
Session 1: 10.15am -11.00am, Session 2: 11.15am -12.00pm, Session 3: 12.30pm - 1.15pm, Session 4: 1.30 - 2.15pm
Sessions will include: Year 3/4 15 pupils, pupils will be cooking Caerphilly Cheese and Tomato salad and Fruit Kebabs
Friday 26th May
Session 1: 10.15 - 11.00am, Session 2: 11.15am - 12.00pm, Session 3: 1.00pm - 1.45pm
Sessions will include: Year 3/4 15 pupils, pupils will be cooking Caerphilly Cheese and Tomato salad and Fruit Kebabs
Please note that all visits must be arranged in advance
For pictures of the Cooking Bus please visit the FSA website www.food.gov.uk/bus
Additional Information:
The Cooking Bus was developed in partnership with the RSA Focus on Food Campaign. The Cooking Bus has been running since November 2003, clocking up over 45,000 miles. Over the last three years, the bus has:
- visited 100 schools and supported 30 out of school clubs and major events
- cooked up over 50,000 dishes
- delivered improved food education to over 18,000 pupils and 2,400 teachers
- celebrity chefs who have donned their whites and visited the bus include Gary Rhodes, Gordon Ramsay, Antony Worrall Thompson, Lesley Waters, John Torode, Ross Burden plus CBBC's Barnaby Bear!
Looking ahead
This year the bus will visit a further 42 schools and projects such as Sure Start, 5 A-Day and PCT projects and out of school clubs.
RSA Focus On Food Campaign
Focus on Food is a campaign designed to raise the profile and importance of food education and to help secure, sustain and strengthen the status of food in primary and secondary school nationally. The campaign focuses on the preparation and cooking of food as the key experience in learning about the social importance of food.