South Ayrshire Council News

Participants of one of the REHIS Elementary Food and Health courses.

Eleven people in South Ayrshire have successfully completed a Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) Elementary Food and Health Course.

South Ayrshire Council Environmental Health applied to the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) for £10,000 of funding as part of the FSA’s 2007/08 Food Hygiene Campaign. Out of 136 applications that the FSA received from across the United Kingdom, South Ayrshire Council was selected for funding along with 22 other local authorities.

Two courses will be delivered each month until March 2008, nine will be held in Ayr, one in Girvan and one in Troon, with up to 154 people receiving training.

People who work directly with the following groups of people in the community are being encouraged to take part in a course:

• People with additional learning support needs.
• Disadvantaged groups such as homeless people.
• Pregnant women.
• Babies and young children.
• Young people not in education, employment or training.
• Older people.
• Ethnic groups.

Course participants will gain an appreciation and understanding of food and nutrition and the effects on health by learning about:

• Functions of food in terms of carbohydrate, protein and fat.
• The role of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
• Fluid and alcohol intake.
• Differing energy needs for babies, children, pregnant women and older people.
• The importance of food in chronic diseases such as diabetes, coeliac disease (wheat intolerance).
• Healthy eating and ways of preparing and cooking foods for a healthy diet.
• Assessing nutrition information on food labels.

After meeting some of the course participants Councillor Peter Convery said: “The funding received from the FSA will make a real difference to many peoples lives. Those who attend the course will leave with invaluable knowledge about a range of food and health related matters. They will in turn be able to use this information to help their clients improve their diet and their knowledge of food, which can only be beneficial to their health.”

The courses are part of a joint initiative that is being run in partnership with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, Public Health Nutrition and SAC Community Care Service Unit.

Anyone who would like further information about food hygiene matters, or information on future courses, should contact Environmental Health staff on telephone number 01292 618222 or e-mail environmental.health@south-ayrshire.gov.uk.

For more information on food related matters log on to the FSA’s website at www.food.gov.uk.