South Ayrshire Council - News - South Ayrshire Council Wins Top Award

South Ayrshire Council Wins Top Award From Foods Standards Agency

South Ayrshire Council has scooped a prestigious grant from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) of £10,000 that will be used to fund Elementary Food and Health Training Courses. The news of the grant was announced during Food Safety Week which ran from 11 to 17 June 2007.

Councillor Peter Convery, the Council’s Portfolio Carrier for Sustainability and Environment said: “This grant will be used by the Council’s Environmental Health section to target specific community needs and promote food hygiene and healthy eating messages to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. This will encourage people to eat more healthily. It is important that everyone has a nutritious balanced diet, and particularly important for children, so that they can get the best start in life.”

In total the FSA has awarded £200,000 to local authorities across the United Kingdom for worthwhile projects. The FSA is committed to reducing foodborne disease as well as encouraging consumers to choose a healthy diet.

Robert Martin of the FSA’s Microbiological Safety Division said: “This grants scheme is part of the Food Standards Agency’s work to support local initiatives that promote safe handling of food in the home and healthy eating, concentr ating particularly on work with schools and local organisations. We were very impressed by the record number of applications for grants this year and the high standard and imaginative projects which will benefit local communities in raising awareness of healthy eating issues and improving standards of food hygiene.”

For information about this or any other Environmental Health issues contact staff on telephone number 01292 616355 or log on to the Council’s website at www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/environmentalhealth For the latest food news and information visit the Food Standards Agency Website

June 2007