Fruity Express

Aim

To encourage better consumption of daily amounts of fruit for pupils and have two generations working alongside preparing and selling fruit.

Knightswood Primary School, Greater Knightswood Elderly Forum, LIFE (Life is for everyone) – a local Voluntary Agency, and an Older Person’s Service Development Co-ordinator for West Glasgow CHCP came together to plan an intergenerational project that would bring pupils from the school together with local members of the elderly forum. It has a very positive health message but is also about enterprise and creativity for the pupils. The older ladies who participated greatly enjoy the interaction with the pupils, and the school reports that the Primary 3 pupils who regularly work alongside the forum members, were keen to take part in both the preparation and the selling of the fruit from the fruity express trolley.

How it was planned

The pupils formed themselves into a forum. They decided a name for the project and a design that would be recognisable to all other pupils, teachers and friends of the school. They were very creative and came up with numerous suggestions for logo and title, which was decided by a vote.

The Fruity Express has been very successful. Two older volunteers meet with a few of the children once a week, they prepare the fruit together and then trundle round the school to sell portions at break time from the trolley. Any surplus is sold at the after school club. (They now place a weekly order).

The children attending KPS now expect to buy a healthy snack on Wednesdays from the Fruity Express, instead of buying crisps or bringing in less nutritious snacks. There are many children tasting fruits that they had never seen or tasted before. The cost is 30p a portion; and the project is now making a small profit that is used to assist with the projects growth and sustainability.

Key Success Factors

We have learnt that generations can work together very successfully. It has been very rewarding for both the school and the ladies from the elderly forum. The pupil forum now has a waiting list of children who wish to be involved in the Fruity Express, and it is hoped that this initiative will carry on for many years; and that all future Primary 3 pupils will have the opportunity to apply for a coveted place on the pupil forum.

The volunteers reported how much they enjoyed the interaction they had with the children, not only those from Primary 3 but from the whole school. They all live locally and see some of the children out of school hours. They remarked that some of the children did not walk by without saying ‘hello’. They have also expressed their admiration for the very positive atmosphere when they attend Wednesday’s Fruity Express. Also on days when they are invited to various other events they are recognised as friends of the school.