Tamara Tomato from ‘Fresh for Kids’ visited Truscott Public School to help them welcome the arrival of their new Liberty Swing.

Every child deserves to experience the exhilaration of swinging through the air, with the wind in their face and joy in their heart. For those confined to a wheelchair, this was never an option until the Australian invention of the Liberty Swing.

The design of the Liberty Swing enables the children to be simply and safely pushed onto the Swing in their wheelchairs.  As soon as their chair is safely locked into place, they can start to swing, and the laughter and smiles and squeals of delight show how much they are enjoying their ride, with some of them asking for the Swing to be pushed higher and higher!

It is often the first time these children have ever felt the weightless feeling of being in a swing, and it is a privilege to share in their enthusiasm.

Some of the proceeds from the Sydney Markets Cherry Auction were donated to Truscott Street Public School for the Liberty Swing.

Balgowlah North Public School held a wonderful 'Sensational Summer Breakfast' in November, 2004.

"We had so much fun with the glorious F & V Gang characters and some wonderful pictures to attest to the day.

Following years of running, as most school canteens did, along the lines of a corner store providing an abundance of treats, Balgowlah North Public School canteen closed for 2 years following animated debate about running a ‘healthy canteen’ or otherwise. A school community survey identified that the majority supported the concept of a healthy canteen. In 2003, with the P&C Association as the sponsoring body, Balgowlah North Public School canteen reopened 5 days a week with a healthy focus menu. The canteen achieved Gold accreditation [NSW School Canteen Association] in its first year.

Balgowlah North Public School canteen has maintained a strong commitment to the NSW Governments healthy eating guidelines, the canteen committee has continued to encourage the school community through:

• Fresh food/healthy ‘green food’ promotions in association with the ‘Fresh for Kids’ campaigns
• Healthy lunch box ideas published in the newsletter each week
• Fresh food breakfast promotions for the school community and a 100% approved menu
• A weekly information/nutritional page in the school newsletter
• Regular links to the classroom demonstrating and taste testing various ‘approved foods’ for school community feedback
• Annual ‘Healthy Harold’ breakfast events
• Links with Before and After School Care to complement a composting and vegetable garden program

With a continuing focus on ‘greening the menu’ the canteen announced to the school, in 3rd term 2004, that the sale of all amber foods would no longer be sold on their own. The canteen promoted the sale of all amber foods i.e. pies, sausage rolls, nuggets and drumsticks as a ‘meal’, with a side salad or fruit salad.

Additionally the school community was told that the sale of all amber foods would also be restricted in quantity, nuggets now only be sold as 2 or 4 nuggets (not 9!), WITH a salad. The changes to all amber menu items was of course, reflected, most significantly in their price change. To everyone’s surprise the children (and parents) of Balgowlah North Public School took to the changes without question..... and when presented with a salad in their lunch bag, ate it!! (garbage bins were checked and it was rare to find a discarded salad). So enthusiastic were the sales through this process, additional volunteers were sought to double their days in the canteen as the labour of salad preparation soared.

Balgowlah North Public School will continue this year with salads still dominating the menu and daily canteen preparations."

Helen McNeil
Chair - Canteen Committee