Report on the five year programme (September 2011 - March 2017) July 2017 Contents Page Programme Overview 2 Background 2 Objectives 2 Focus 2 Evaluation 2 Outcomes 3 In schools 3 In the community 7 For the business 9 Innovation 10 Observations 11 Appendices 13 Appendix 1: Participating Schools 13 Appendix 2: Student Online Survey Responses 14 Appendix 3: Health for Life Community Growing Spaces 15 Appendix 4: Community Participant Survey Responses 15 Note Data relating to reach and participant outcomes, quoted within the report, is taken from HES and TCV reports to the Mondelēz International Foundation 2012-2017 with further details summarised in the appendices. 1 Programme Overview Background Health for Life was introduced in 2011 as Mondelēz International’s flagship U.K. health and wellbeing community programme, aiming to make a sustainable difference to healthy lifestyles in Birmingham. In a city with higher than average levels of obesity and significant evidence of deprivation and food poverty, the programme was shaped to promote activities around growing food, healthier eating and physical activity, reaching the whole community surrounding the company’s Bournville site. Funded for five years by the Mondelēz International Foundation with an investment of £3.1 million, the programme was developed with and delivered in partnership with the Health Education Service (HES)1, with Life Education Centres West Midlands (LECWM), working with primary and secondary schools and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)2 working with the wider community. The programme has supported the national Change4Life campaign. Objectives To engage school communities and local residents in growing food to increase their knowledge and understanding of its link with healthy lifestyles and provide access to fresh food; To improve understanding of healthier eating habits with a focus in schools on increasing opportunities for cookery and healthy eating activities; To increase opportunities and engagement in physical activity for children and adults. Focus Health for Life in schools has focused on developing a sustainable, healthy lifestyle culture throughout the whole school. The programme aimed to involve 100 primary and 18 secondary schools over the five years, engaging schools, in cohorts, to participate over a period spanning two academic years. Each participating school received dedicated HES input, staff training and a cash award, to develop and implement an individual action plan and embed activities in each focus area. Health for Life in the community was designed to involve individuals, families and groups in a range of healthier lifestyle activities, undertaken primarily through TCV’s Green Gym sessions, which provide ‘work-outs’ in the outdoor environment and, in particular, to create five key Health for Life community growing spaces which would provide a lasting hub for activities. Evaluation Targets, key indicators and data collection methods were established at the programme outset by Mondelēz and the delivery partners with advice from Corporate Citizenship3, who have also subsequently assessed the evaluation process to ensure robustness. Progress has been regularly reviewed by Mondelēz and detailed annually in written reports to the Foundation. 1 Health Education Services, part of Services for Education, providing support to West Midlands schools 2 The Conservation Volunteers, a national community volunteering charity 3 Corporate Citizenship, a global management consultancy specialising in corporate responsibility 2 Outcomes Programme outputs have exceeded original targets. 125 schools have participated 15 Health for Life community growing spaces have been created Overall reach has risen from an estimate of 60,000 to around 90,000 people In schools The programme has effected significant change in primary and secondary schools, reaching around 50,000 pupils and key staff, enhancing the curriculum and expanding opportunities for students and their families to engage in healthy lifestyle activities. 33% of Birmingham’s primary schools have participated in the programme Every Health for Life school has designed and implemented its own action plan, participated in staff training and provided new facilities and activities. Programme funding has enabled each school to invest in long-term resources, which would not otherwise be provided through their budget, and contributed to rapid progress in implementing change. “In less than 12 months of running the Health for Life programme, we’ve exceeded everything we hoped to achieve. It’s brought a whole community spirit back into school.” Teacher, Lakey Lane Primary Schools have addressed all three activity areas in ways to suit their needs and priorities. Using their own innovative ideas and taking inspiration from others in the programme, school staff, pupils and families have enjoyed creating new opportunities to make a real and lasting difference to school life, benefitting both current and future students. “In light of the statistics, it’s so important that children are educated on the importance of being active and eating healthily now more than ever. The Health for Life programme effectively engages young people in a fun and educational way.” Dr Adrian Phillips, Director of Public Health, Birmingham 3 Growing food has, overall, produced the most noticeable changes. Many schools had limited or no facilities prior to the programme. Schools have established a wide range of opportunities for growing vegetables, fruit and herbs, including larger allotments, gardens, raised beds and polytunnels. Where space is limited, schools have used hanging baskets, containers and even created rooftop gardens. “The school garden has been amazing; we took what was a scrappy bit of land and worked hard to turn it in to a garden to grow vegetables in” Y8 student Students have taken part in growing food through curriculum activities and through lunch-time and after- school clubs. The numbers involved have increased significantly. Up to 47% more students gardening in secondary schools Up to 38% more pupils gardening in primary schools The activity has not only created greater access to fresh food, linked with healthy cookery, but many schools have also reported that gardening has improved pupils’ behaviour with staff now using the activity as part of their overall behaviour plans. Some schools have also extended their outdoor interests to broader environmental education and keeping their own chickens. “The gardening club is so much fun.” Y4 pupil “You feel really proud that you’ve helped to grow the foods that you’re eating.” Y5 pupil 4 Healthy eating principles are addressed through the curriculum but Health for Life has enabled schools to explore the topic more extensively. Many primary pupils have learned more about healthy breakfasts, snacks and drinks. Pupil surveys show that knowledge of 5-a-day and portion sizes has increased whilst children not eating any fruit and vegetables and going without breakfast has decreased. Several secondary schools have worked with their school caterers, giving students a voice to influence canteen arrangements and healthier food choices. “Before the healthy food was more expensive than the unhealthy food - now it’s not.” Y9 student “With all the fruit and veg available it’s easy to have your 5-a-day at school.” Y8 student Within primary schools, cookery has been an activity which many primary schools were unable to offer because of limited facilities, equipment and curriculum time. Several schools have used funding to create new dedicated cookery areas whilst many have purchased new equipment. “Now we have fun cooking things to do. We have ovens and pots and pans so we can cook in our classrooms.” Y3 pupil Up to 25% increase in pupils taking part in cookery at school Schools have used the activity to engage parents too, offering family healthy eating workshops and cookery sessions and several have produced their own cookery books with contributions from pupils, teachers and families. “It’s important that parents are involved in workshops so that you learn together and make the right choices.” Y5 pupil The programme is inclusive and has delivered targeted health and wellbeing sessions, involving a total of 2,500 ‘hard-to-reach’ parents; recent surveys show 86% reported learning something new and 74% said they would change/do something regarding healthy choices for themselves and their families. 5 Physical activity has been directed towards providing opportunities for pupils beyond the PE curriculum. Throughout the programme, students have reported an increase in attending clubs and being active outside school as well as up to 10% of students being more active in school PE lessons. In primary schools this has included encouragement of walking, scooter and bike-riding to school; running skipping and hula hoop competitions; providing playground markings and offering opportunities to develop pupils’ and staff skills through ‘playleader’ and other training in order to increase playground activities. Secondary schools have extended the variety of activities for their students to include, for example, boxercise classes and table tennis, and have provided new equipment such as outdoor gyms, rowing machines and a dance studio. “The dance studio is a great addition to the school and has really improved pupils’ confidence and communication. We are truly thankful for the support of the Health for Life programme - without it we would not have been able to have a brilliant facility