Aberdeen students assemble to launch 5-week SUGAR SMART programme

Heathryburn is the SUGAR SMART pilot school in Aberdeen, with a whole-school engagement programme having been designed by the pupils themselves. The programme will include a range of activities to help transform the school’s food environment and raise awareness of the impacts of consuming too much sugar.

As part of the campaign, primary pupils will be encouraged to fill out surveys with parents on current sugar consumption and take on the “Ditch the Fizz” challenge to give up drinking fizzy juice for two weeks.

Councillor John Wheeler, Education and Children’s Services Convener, attended the launch assembly. He said:

Among our key outcomes for our children and young people are a sense of healthiness and well-being. This fantastic project ties perfectly into our ambitions for young Aberdonians and it’s great to see mums and dads taking part as well.

Kelly Milne, Heathryburn School’s Head Teacher, said:

It’s great that we are the pilot school for this amazing Sugar Smart project and everyone is really looking forward to taking part. There are a lots of activities scheduled in for both pupils and parents and we are hoping to see some really positive outcomes at the end of the programme.

The SUGAR SMART Aberdeen campaign, led by the Sustainable Food City Partnership Aberdeen, will run activities at Heathryburn until 29 March and will include: 

• Pupil and parent surveys on sugar consumption

• ‘Ditch the Fizz’ challenge to give up drinking fizzy juice for 18 days

• Poster and video making

• Sugar Smart quizzes, display boards and pop-up information stands 

• Parental engagement and peer education lessons 

• Healthy snacks delivered by CFINE’s electric Tuk-Tuk

• A pupil-led assembly delivered to parents

SUGAR SMART is a campaign of Sustain and Jamie Oliver. It is currently the feature campaign of the UK's Sustainable Food Cities network.