The North Sydney Council’s Children’s Festival has been running for the past nine years and aims to raise awareness of the range of children’s services available in the North Sydney area. Local playgroups, after school care programs, kindergartens, sporting groups, child support services and the Fresh for Kids Program provided stalls and free children’s activities on the day. Local dance groups and school bands are also involved in the entertainment program.

Captain Capsicum, Summa Strawberry and Bazza Banana from the F&V Gang were a big hit with the kids and their parents, handing out fresh fruit which was donated by Sydney Markets and Fresh for Kids promotional material. The Gang also got the chance to practise their shooting technique with Northern Suburbs Basketball Association’s portable basketball posts.   

Tamara Tomato, Megabite Apple and Bazza Banana were excited when they were invited along to Strathfield’s biggest and most popular festival, the 2009 Strathfield Spring Fair.

The Strathfield Spring Fair included 100 stalls including food from around the world,  jewellery,  clothes and gifts to name a few,  amusement rides, an animal farm, a Kidz Zone tent and roving entertainers.  

The F&V Gang members handed out fresh fruit which was kindly donated by Sydney Markets, Fresh for Kids wristbands, bookmarks and rulers for the kids and also posed for lots of photos with children – and even their parents!

Bazza Banana and Tamara Tomato were invited to attend the 2009 Relay for Life in Sutherland. Bazza and Tamara helped hand out fresh fruit and Fresh for Kids promotional material to the spectators and attendees.

The F&V gang members watched on as Bob Fickel of Pony Express ran for an incredible 10 hours and with the help of Loui Cicco, Bob’s Fruit Box Sydney Markets Flemington raised over $6,000.

The team came in 3rd from 180 teams in just over 166kms.

The 2009 NSW State Swimming carnival was held on over two days in March 2009.

Approximately 2,000 competitors from schools throughout NSW competed at the event which was held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre attracting crowds of approximately 2,000.

Bazza Banana was a big hit with students at the swimming carnival. He was a feature of the Sydney Markets stand where he was helping hand out fruit as well as showing off his dance moves including the moon walk!

Summa Strawberry, Captain Capsicum and Bazza Banana were extremely excited when they were invited to join Dora the Explorer and her friends at the Kid’s Karnival which was held at Paddy’s Markets in Flemington.

The Gang mingled with the crowd throughout the day and were a huge hit with the kids and handed out stickers, bookmarks and wristbands to the crowd.

The Salmat Yarra Bay Fun Run and Walk was a great success with 300 participants in the 6km Fun Run and Walk and a further 50 kids in the 1200m running races.  Over $5,500 was raised through entry fees for Ian Thorpe’s Fountain for youth. 

Oscar Orange was a special guest and had a great time helping the athletes in the race.

The fresh fruit Oscar Orange brought with him was a hit at the end of the races with all participants appreciating the healthy snacks. 

The Indigenous Youth Coaching Clinic that was held on 28th February at Yarra Bay was also a success with 50 Indigenous Kids enjoying nearly two hours of athletics and coaching from accredited coaches and also Olympic Finalist Kyle Vander Kuyp and 2008 National 100m Champion Otis Gowa.  It was a great introduction to athletics and was complemented with free tickets and bus transport to Homebush for the Sydney Track Classic held that night where they watched Australia’s top athletes compete including Olympic Gold Medallist Steve Hooker in the Pole Vault. Once again, the healthy fruit snacks provided by Sydney Markets were welcomed by the kids.