AN AMBITIOUS project to get all 12 schools within the Melksham community area Healthy School status has begun, after a public health study found that nearly 30 per cent of children in the area are obese or overweight.

The schools have all signed up to a healthy schools project, under the Wiltshire Healthy Schools Programme (WHSP), aiming to reach their silver standard by October 2017.

Earlier this month, a joint training workshop took place at Forest and Sandridge School.

Aloeric Primary School head teacher, Matthew Nightingale, said: “We are very eager to jump through the hoops to get re-validated. We have always been a sporty school and we look forward to taking on this challenge.

“This is a local priority and it was good to have all the schools singing from the same songbook.”

Teachers learned about the audit process, shared best practices and discussed projects that would encourage healthier lifestyles for children at their schools.

To get to the required level, schools have to show an improved effort to promote learning and healthy lifestyle choices for children as well as delivering effective and sustainable interventions for the pupils.

Elizabeth Yeates, who teaches at River Mead Primary School, said: “We are very excited for this. Melksham wants to be the first area in Wiltshire where all the schools have the healthy schools award by this time next year.

“We hope to get the bronze status before Christmas and the silver one requires us doing a case study that shows a percentage increase in after school clubs and teams. We have a new sports court so that will hopefully help.”

The initiative, instigated by Nick Bolton, WHSP manager and Melksham councillor Jon Hubbard, is designed to promote and teach the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle among the town’s youngsters.

“It was a spectacularly productive session. We have to take this in sensible steps however. If we can make sure everyone gets to bronze that would be great but what was so encouraging was that the schools made it clear that a bronze target is the bare minimum,” said Cllr Hubbard.

“Obesity is a growing problem nationally but the figures did demonstrated it would be a particular challenge in Melksham. However there is a tremendous effort to address this which is very promising,” said Cllr Hubbard.

Melksham Area Board has provided funding to enable schools to work collaboratively on the project.