SEAFOOD Scotland’s acclaimed ‘Seafood in Schools’ project will be visiting Aberdeen City Grammar on Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th March, with a series of workshops designed to teach children where seafood comes from, how healthy it is to eat, and how it gets to their plates.
S2 and S3 pupils studying health and food technology will join primary pupils from Ashley Road, Glicomston, Mile End, St Joseph’s and Skene Square primaries, with more than 240 children taking part. Each pupil will attend three half-hour workshops, whilst a separate session at lunchtime for teachers, aims to give them more confidence in using seafood as a context for learning.
The first workshop, a wetfish counter display run by Peter Bruce, skipper of the whitefish trawler, Budding Rose, and Maria Anderson, from Seafood Scotland, is sure to be a hit!
It will enable pupils to see and handle a variety of fresh and live species, including crab, lobster, langoustine, cod, haddock, monkfish and squid, and to learn how they are caught, landed and processed.
Peter will also talk about his work at sea, encouraging pupils to consider a ‘life on the ocean waves’ as a career choice.
Skippers give freely of their time for the project and their input is appreciated by pupils.
In the kitchen, Masterchef finalist, Alexandra Hay from Kildrummy Inn, and Sam Riche, from the prestigious Raemoir House Hotel in Banchory, will tempt pupils with a demonstration and tasting of simple mackerel and haddock dishes.
Recipes will be available to take home, to enable parents and children to recreate the recipes.
The third workshop concentrates on health and wellbeing and the importance of eating seafood high in Omega 3. Run by Catriona Frankitti of Fish for Health, it features a tutored ‘Come Dine with Me’ tasting session, using Orkney Crab pate, Sainsbury’s salmon supplied by Youngs Fraserburgh, Tesco hot smoked mackerel and mussels, John West Skippers from Fraserburgh based International Fish Canners, and Sainsbury’s Sweet Cure Herring, all served with Deans of Huntly oatcakes.
“It is important to inform children and their parents where they can obtain the seafood they like at the workshops, and local retailers tend to notice an uplift in sales following our workshops, and this further encourages their support for us,” said Catriona Frankitti.
Seafood for the fish display and cooking sessions is kindly supplied by Aberdeen Fish Producer’s Organisation, George Campbell & Sons and the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation.
Scott Landsburgh, CEO of SSSPO, said: “We are delighted to continue our support for such a fun and informative programme. Encouraging kids to eat a healthy balanced diet that includes fish rich in Omega 3 such as salmon is really important for improving concentration and enhancing brain development.
“The salmon farming industry plays an important part in many rural communities across Scotland and we hope this programme will inform families of some of the benefits it brings including the positive impact it has on the Scottish economy.”
Parents, grandparents, carers, siblings and guardians are encouraged to attend a community event at Aberdeen City Grammar School on the evening of the first day (4th March from 1630-1800). Taking place in the Assembly Hall, it will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the same workshops and to sample seafood delicacies.
Following the workshops, each participating class undertakes a project of their choosing using seafood as a context for learning, which they must demonstrate to the rest of the school through an assembly or similar activity.
In this way, the Seafood in Schools programme and the messages it teaches, have a very wide reach.
Visits to industry are particularly encouraged and transport and project expenses are funded through Seafood in Schools.
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Photocall with the children: 11am Wednesday 4th March (alternative timings by arrangement).
To arrange a photocall or for further press enquiries, please contact Martin Hunt on 07767 401 760, martin@tartansilk.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
The event will be held from 0930 – 1500 on 4th and 5th March 2015. Each day comprises a rolling programme of three half-hour workshops.
Seafood in Schools is a project that aims to teach children about Scottish seafood; where it comes from, how it reaches our plates, and why eating seafood is good for us. It is funded by Scottish Government, Aberdeenshire Council, Seafish, Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation, the Scottish Fishermen’s Trust and the Scottish Whitefish Producers’ Association, and also relies on in-kind contributions and involvement by the fishing and aquaculture industries. www.seafoodinschools.org
Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO) is at the centre of salmon farming’s industry-wide initiatives and public communication, acting as a trusted source of information, a strong industry voice and a focus through which industry leadership and objectives can be channelled.
Set up in 2006 as an industry organisation for Scottish salmon farming, all members participate in the Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture. The organisation plays a central role in representing the industry on political, regulatory, media and technical issues in Scotland, the UK, EU and internationally.
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