SUPERMARKET giant Tesco is providing free fruit and vegetables to pupils of Ysgol Pendref in Denbigh as part of a new £4m nutritional improvement scheme.

In partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation and Groundwork UK, Tesco has created the Fruit and Veg for Schools programme that will give thousands of students across the UK at least one free piece of fresh produce to eat every day.

Funding is targeted at schools where there is a higher-than-average free school meal ratio. Initially it will find around 16 million pieces of fruit and vegetables nationally - the equivalent of 110 portions per child.  

One of the 400 schools granted funding from the project is Ysgol Pendref.

"With only one-in-five children eating the recommended portions of fruit and veg a day, it’s fantastic to see Tesco’s commitment to helping children access healthier foods," said UK Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne.

"We're committed to giving every child the best start in life, by funding healthy free breakfast clubs across the country, so that pupils start the day with hungry minds - not bellies."   

In a recent survey by brand and social impact agency We Are Futures, 71% of teachers said that they would prioritise the availability of fruit and veg for all pupils, if more funding was available.

Only 12% of UK children aged between 11 and 18 are currently meeting the five-a-day recommendation. The British Nutrition Foundation estimates that, over the school year, this programme will increase each child's average intake of vitamin A by 7%, vitamin C by 25%, folate by 14% and fibre 10%.

The funding means that Ysgol Pendref will be able to shop for the fruit and veg the school needs in local stores.

Ken Murphy, Tesco Group Chief Executive, said: "Our aim is to enable schools to provide enough fruit and veg for every child to have at least one piece every day.

"Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools will make a real difference by providing something that young people look forward to receiving every day and we hope it will be another little nudge to get them eating healthy food."