Case Study: Taste Of Nature: Creative Arts, Nature and Healthy Eating In The Early years
Authors(s), Creator(s) and Contributors: Bethan Lewis, Creative Director Head4Arts / BG Arts
Publication Date: 26/11/2024
Categories: Case Studies
Partner(s): See description for full list of partners
Funder(s): Arts, Health and Wellbeing National Lottery Funding through Arts Council Wales plus in kind contributions from Blaenau Gwent Food Partnership and Head4Arts
Introduction
Taste of Nature adopted an innovative approach to promoting healthy lifestyle choices by combining creative arts with food tasting and nature based activities to explore a theory of change for improving diets in early years children. The project was delivered by Head4Arts and the Sustainable Food Coordinator for Blaenau Gwent. Activity took place in Blaenau Gwent in Spring/Summer 2024, targeting three participant groups to compare the impact of different interventions. Groups involved were Year 2 pupils in St Illtyd's Primary School, parents through Flying Start and parents and children together as part of Llanhilleth Miners Institute's summer holiday programme. A booklet was produced to share ideas of healthy meals and creative activities that could be continued at home. Delivered by Head4Arts & Blaenau Gwent Sustainable Food Co-ordinator With support from Blaenau Gwent Food Partnership - Tai Calon, Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations, Natural Resources Wales and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, BGCBC Healthy Schoos & Preschools and Coed Lleol
The Challenge
The project was developed to tackle a chronic health challenge in our community, using creative arts and a connection with nature to encourage behaviour change in relation to diet. Obesity and poor diet related illnesses are chronic in Blaenau Gwent. Healthy eating in early years is critical in establishing life-long dietary patterns and the rise of ‘ultra-processed foods’ has made this even more challenging. As accessing green spaces is associated with lower obesity rates, the project combined healthy eating and nature connection, using the arts to explore these themes. Current weight manangement programmes on offer to local residents focus on physical activity. This project aimed to bring an alternative, creative approach to promoting healthy lifestyles.
The Approach
Between Spring/ Summer 2024, the project delivered activity with 3 distinct groups:
6 x sessions with Year 2 Pupils in St Illtyd's Primary School (22 participants/120 attendances)
8 x sessions with parents via Flying Start Walking Groups in Cwm & Swffryd (36 participants/52 attendances)
6 x sessions with parents and children at Llanhilleth Miners Institute (42 participants / 62 attendances)
A booklet was produced to extend the reach of the project and to enable families to continue activities at home. The booklet was launched in St Illtyd's Primary School (92 participants).
Each session encouraged a creative exploration of nature and food by combining the skills of artists, outdoor education practitioners and food specialists.
The project was delivered by 4 artists, 2 outdoor education practitioners and the BG Sustainable Food Co-ordinator with support from Head4Arts.
The project budget was £7,949. The largest proportion was spent on professional fees for artists/ outdoor practitioners.
Where possible, activity took place outdoors to encourage a connection with nature.
Activities delivered included:
- Creative movement
- Blind Food Tasting
- Den building
- Painting with natural materials
- Journalling
- Poetry
- Planting
- Making dream catchers with foraged materials
The Impact
An external evaluator was engaged to produce a thorough evaluation report. Evaluation methods included: Journals Creative outputs Practitioner reflections Questionnaires for participants / parents Stakeholder interviews Project Padlet Our findings identified that ultra-processed foods are regularly consumed by this target group and that increased access to fruits and vegetables would help to improve their dietary habits. Participant responses demonstrate that the non-judgemental, creative approach adopted by the project encouraged a change of knowledge and mindset around healthy food. 100% of participants were exposed to new foods and experiences. All families who responded felt the summer sessions helped to improve their confidence in making healthy food choices, being creative together and exploring nature. Feedback included: "The kids enjoyed all the variations in the classes, craft, food tasting and outdoor activities all in one class" "(we enjoyed) Tasting the different snacks, different tastes and textures. Looking at nature in a totally different way, usually life is so busy, you don't stop to look around and see the beauty all around"
Lessons Learned
The project provided a wealth of evidence to suggest that creative arts combined with nature-based activities can influence dietary choices among early years children. A 6 week intervention offered limited scope to gather evidence of long-term impact, however it has reinforced the need for a new approach and demonstrated that there is potential to make a sustained and significant impact if delivered over a longer period. Future iterations could include more opportunities for artists and nature practitioners to work together.
The Legacy
The booklet will be available beyond the scope of the project to act as a reminder and a way of supporting families to continue the ideas explored at home. The pilot project has demonstrated that there is potential to scale the project up, with support of the wider partnership group, to offer a creative, multi-agency approach to encourage healthy eating in early years children in Blaenau Gwent. This would enable us to reach more families across the borough and possibly develop a model which could be replicated in other areas. This could also include using the Taste of Nature approach as the basis for CPD opportunities for early years practitioners as suggested by Flying Start staff.
Website and Social Media Links
https://bgfoodpartnership.co.uk/taste-of-nature/
https://bgfoodpartnership.co.uk/blas-ar-natur/
Contact Details
Chris Nottingham - Blaenau Gwent Sustainable Food Co-ordinator - Chris.Nottingham@taicalon.org
Bethan Lewis - Head4Arts / BG Arts - bethan.lewis@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk
Tags: Healthy Eating, Early Years, Family, Blaenau Gwent, Nature Connection, Community Arts, Movement, Creative Writing, Visual Arts
