Seafood in schools at Johnstone High
The workshops are being offered to more than three hundred and sixty high school and primary pupils and their teachers on Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th May 2014.
The workshops is teaching children where seafood comes from, why it is healthy to eat, and how it gets to their plates. Each pupil is attending three half-hour workshops, whilst an ad-hoc session at lunchtime for teachers, will give them more confidence in using seafood as a context for learning.
The wetfish counter display is guaranteed to be a hit, enabling pupils to see and handle a variety of Scottish species and to learn how they are caught, landed and processed. It is run by Seafood in Schools coordinator Sheila Bannerman, with Marine Scotland scientist Jennifer Wright providing an insight into how fish and shellfish lives in the marine environment.
“I am delighted to work with the Seafood in Schools programme, which is a great way to encourage more children to eat seafood and help them learn about sustainable fishing,” said Jennifer.
Local chef Vanessa Daley from Mar Hall is hosting the second workshop, and will be cooking up some quick, easy and tasty seafood dishes for pupils to try. Vanessa will also be handing out recipe leaflets and hopes that parents will be inspired to try them at home.
The third workshop concentrates on health and wellbeing and the importance of eating foods high in Omega 3. Run by Catriona Frankitti of Fish For Health, the session also features a tutored tasting session using crab, brisling sardines, mackerel, trout, salmon and herring, provided by RR Spink, International Fish Canners, Macrae/Young’s, Daniels Sweet Herring, and Orkney Crab, with oatcakes from Nairns. Fish for the display and cookery demonstrations is kindly donated by Glasgow Market-based seafood wholesaler John Valance, the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation and Lions Speciality Food.
Scott Landsburgh, Chief Executive of Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation, said: “We are proud to be part of such an engaging event. Scottish farmed salmon is known to be rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, key components of a healthy balanced diet. Research shows that eating food rich in Omega-3s helps children improve their ability to learn and concentrate in the classroom, as well as providing many other health benefits to people of all ages.
“Families will have the opportunity to learn more about the salmon farming industry, which plays such a pivotal role as one of Scotland’s economic successes, and can offer our future workforce a range of career opportunities.”
