From Anne Pasturel, local WI chairman.
I READ with interest the articles in the JEP regarding the credit crunch and how to deal with it.

I thought your readers might like to know what the Women’s Institute has been doing over the last few years to incorporate these ideas and to promote a healthier lifestyle.

At the annual general meeting in the Albert Hall in 2003 a resolution was passed urging the government to take action over children’s diet, health and exercise.

One of the speakers told us that children in the USA were dying before their parents of preventable diseases. We know that what happens over there tends to happen over here.

In 2005 I attended, on behalf of the Jersey WI, a Food Standards Agency Salt Cascade conference at Denman College.

The outstanding message of the conference was that an adult should have no more than 6 gm of salt per day. This amounts to a level teaspoon. Too much salt can contribute to heart disease, strokes and some cancers.

Those people who cook from scratch have control over the amount of salt in their diet, as opposed to those who eat ready-prepared meals.

The information was cascaded to all institutes and also to several mother and toddler groups locally.
We have also held a Healthy Lifestyle Day at Communicare.

More recently we have had a Let’s Cook programme, run through the Bridge as part of their 38-week course. It is aimed at people who want to learn to cook and have more confidence in the kitchen.

Also available on the course are tips on what to put in a healthy lunchbox. Thanks to the tutors, Trish Perchard and Sue Healy, this has been so successful that a Cookery Club is starting again at the Bridge.
This is mainly for people who have been on the Let’s Cook course and enjoyed it.

Starting in March, there will be a Sunday morning drop-in facility at which dads can bring the children to give mums a little quiet time.

In addition, the WI also have ongoing talks with Marks & Spencer and the Co-op about surplus packaging, salt reduction in food, and using more locally grown produce.

This year’s resolution to be debated at the annual meeting in the Albert Hall will be about Saving the Bees. This is a very serious concern for all of us, and I have no doubt that the WI will be doing what we can locally to raise awareness of the situation.

The above is only a small part of what we do overall.

Everything is done on a voluntary basis and I am very proud to be chairman of such an energetic and forward-looking organisation.
The Elms,
Upper Clarendon Road,
St Helier.