Mother Earth rewards healthy initiatives

Mother Earth rewards healthy initiatives

Mother Earth is inviting Enviroschools to enter in the second annual Mother Earth Reward Programme competition with the chance to win one of three $2,500 cash prizes

The Mother Earth Reward Programme recognises Enivroschools that are working towards environmental sustainability and that are making an exceptional contribution to the promotion of wholesome food and healthy eating within the community.

Judging this year’s winning entries will again be Niki Bezzant, editor of The Healthy Food Guide. In addition to the top three winners, a new category has been added whereby the public can vote for their favourite entries – the People’s Choice Award – that comes with a $500 cash prize.

Caroline Potter of Mother Earth, who created the reward programme in partnership with The Enviroschools Foundation, says, “The new award was added to provide parents, students and their communities the opportunity to engage with our competition.

“After last year’s impressive number and high standard of entries we are looking forward to seeing what this year’s programme turns up and who ends up as the people’s choice.”

Founder of The Enviroschools Foundation and Mother Earth Reward partner Heidi Mardon says it’s been interesting to see how the 2011 winners have chosen to invest their award.

“It’s great to see how each school has utilised their reward to further develop their healthy food programmes,” says Heidi.

Last year’s winners Hasting’s Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te wananga whare tapere o Tikitmu School made it their goal to use the prize money to encourage families in the community to plant their own vegetables. Seeds and seedlings were purchased and distributed to families in the community and an organic gardener mentored families on how to grow homegrown vegetables without chemicals or pesticides.

Pukekohe’s Patumahoe School are planning to build a new child friendly kitchen and Mt Albert’s Owairaka Primary School has purchased 200 lunchboxes to supply new pupils to the school.

Ten finalists will be announced on 5 October and the four winning schools, including the People’s Choice winner, will be officially announced on 24 October.

The competition is open to Enviroschools from Early Childhood Education Centres through to Secondary Schools. Entrants fill in a simple online entry form and supply images of their healthy eating programme. Entries close 14 September 2012. For further details see http://www.motherearth.co.nz.

ENDS

Editor’s Notes:

Mother Earth is known for its popular range of muesli bars and dried fruit and nuts and has been a proud sponsor of The Enviroschools Foundation for the last three years.

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