Nutritious food
The relationship between nutrition, social and economic status, health and education is a complex one. Research has clearly shown the impact that nutritious food has on a child’s brain development, behaviour and academic performance at school, making food poverty a significant contributor to the striking educational attainment gap in BaNES.
Since the launch of our Best Start in Life strategy in 2020 (formerly know as the Foundation Fund), we have been working with partners and national organisations to help eradicate the need for emergency food provision and address the inequalities in the educational attainment across Bath and North East Somerset.
The Nutritious Food programme is an integral part of Best Start in Life which includes the provision of funding for FareShare, as well as several other local projects, to deliver food to families, food banks, food clubs and pantries that provide access to nutritious food to those who need it most in the area.
St John’s is also currently working with primary schools across Bath and North East Somerset, providing support to help ensure that all children attending our Primary Empowerment Schools, who are not entitled to free school meal provision, have the opportunity to access free school meals, both in school and during the holidays.
Safe places
When we established Best Start in Life in 2020 (formerly know as the Foundation Fund), we recognised that one of the issues children and families might face is a shortage of places outside of school hours where they could feel safe and engage in activities that contribute to their general wellbeing.
Safe Places offer a range of physical spaces in Bath and North East Somerset, where young people and their families can engage with each other, activities and find support.
We believe that everybody deserves to feel safe and secure whilst having their basic needs met. Safe Places aren’t just physical spaces you can go to; they’re a promise of support, understanding, and friendship.
At St John’s, our mission is to ensure that everyone within our community has access to services that acknowledge and benefit their needs. Safe Places makes this possible.
