Old Guildford Public School reinforced their healthy lifestyle message on Tuesday 25 November with a visit from Sydney Markets representatives and their F&V Gang member, Captain Capsicum.

The school’s fitness and healthy lifestyle program – Healthy Eating at Old Guildford- has received a funding boost from the Sydney Markets Limited Grants Fund to help promote the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Captain Capsicum brought a range of different fruits to the school so that the students could sample all the different types of healthy snack options available.

Captain Capsicum proved to be very popular with the students; he was even seen showing students how to do star jumps!

William Dean Public School reinforced their healthy lifestyle message on Wednesday 12 November with a visit from Sydney Markets Fresh for Kids representatives and their Fresh for Kids mascot, Oscar Orange.

The school’s fitness and healthy lifestyle program – Healthy Snack Time - has received a funding boost from the School Sport Foundation Grants Fund to help promote the consumption of fresh fruit & vegetables.

Sydney Markets and Oscar Orange brought a range of different fruits to the school as part of their visit, so that the students could sample all the different types of healthy snack options available.

Fresh for Kids partnered with the Premiers Sporting Challenge this year to promote the 2009 Join Forces and Win Canteen Campaign.

The campaign, which rewards students for buying fresh fruit and vegetables at their participating school canteen, has encouraged almost 1.5 million children to eat more fresh produce since 2000. Last year, almost twice as many country schools as city schools took part in the challenge. This year NSW Swifts player Susan Pratley and former Olympic swimmer Craig Stevens joined the campaign as Ambassadors to help promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle amongst school aged children.

Nine schools across Sydney and Wollongong had the opportunity to meet the Ambassadors and the F&V Gang. Below is a list of schools that took part in the visits this year –

• Loftus Public School
• Balgownie Public School
• Rowland Hassall School
• Blacktown South Public School
• Artarmon Public School
• Cromer Public School
• Oakhill Drive Public School
• Homebush Public School
• Lurnea Public School

The F&V Gang were excited to be part of the visits where they got to hand out fresh fruit and wristbands to students and help out in the school canteen.

For more information on the Canteen Campaign please click here.

Some children get their lunch and snacks from the school canteen every day of their school lives. For others, buying something from the canteen is a rare treat. Either way, canteens play an important role in the school community.

Friday 19 June was the inaugural Healthy Kids School Canteen Day, a day set aside to acknowledge the vital role that canteens play within the school community and to thank the volunteers and staff who run them.

Megabite Apple and Summa Strawberry attended Holy Cross Primary School, Glenwood, in Sydney's West, to help the students celebrate. The Gang members entertained the students while they enjoyed a healthy breakfast of fresh fruit which was donated by Sydney Markets.