HLP is out delivering messages

Programme goes on store visits

SGF's Healthy Living Programme at a demo in a kitchen, from left to right: Gillian Edgar, Gary McLean and Kathryn Neil
The HLP team has worked with Gary McLean.

THE Healthy Living Programme (HLP) has been taking its wellbeing messages on the road and into stores this summer.

The HLP team is carrying out a mini summer roadshow with Spar Scotland.

Five stores across Scotland with which the organisation recently ran Welby Breakfast school events are now getting an in-shop visit from the team.

HLP – part of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation – is promoting its Cooking at Home campaign recipes.

The initiative saw the HLP team up with Scotland’s national chef, Gary Maclean, and the Parent Club.

They filmed Maclean cooking eight different recipes that could all be easily replicated at home using ingredients readily available in the majority of convenience outlets.

Programme director Kathryn Neil said: “This is the first time we have continued the link with the stores that have had a Welby event with pupils.

“Now revisiting the areas and the stores, we hope to engage with the adults to get them cooking healthier meals in the home.”

The team is in the outlets for three to four hours, speaking to customers and handing out wooden spoons and recipes. 

Neil added: “It really is educational for customers and shop staff.”

The latest activity comes after the HLP held 10 Welby Breakfast events in two weeks before the start of the school holidays.

The team spoke to 1964 pupils, taking the total number of pupils that the HLP has spoken to since 2017 to 25,246.

Neil said: “The 25,000 mark is one we have tried to reached for a while but, due to Covid and the restrictions, it took longer than we had hoped. 

“We are now trying to fill the calendar for the rest of the year and encourage more retailers to run an event similar to this.”