News reports located on this page = 3.

Heart Research UK - 'Healthy cooking with children'

GETTING children involved in cooking from an early age can help them to develop the skills they need to plan and cook healthy meals throughout their lives as well as overcoming picky eating. With most children being Schooled at home during the Coronavirus pandemic, now could be a good opportunity to teach them some healthy cooking skills. With fast food outlet closures, it may also be a great time to get your child to ditch the junk food and start enjoying some nutritious home cooked meals. Below are some tips for involving kids in cooking some simple and healthy meals at home. It is important that children are supervised by an adult, particularly when using sharp equipment or heat.

Meal planning...

Try to involve the kids in planning meals by looking through the cupboards, fridge and freezer together to plan a healthy main course and a dessert. Use recipe books or find recipes online to get some inspiration. Encourage your child to include a good source of protein (eg:- eggs, fish, lean meat, lentils, beans or yoghurt), plenty of fruit and vegetables and a portion of carbohydrate (eg:- rice, pasta, bread or potatoes).

Develop your child's technical skills in the kitchen...

Younger children can safely learn how to use basic equipment in the kitchen, such as stirring food in a bowl with a wooden spoon or pouring ingredients into a bowl. Older children can be supervised when weighing out ingredients, breaking eggs, chopping up fruit and vegetables and using the hob/oven.

Encourage your child to taste a range of foods...

Encouraging children to taste a range of different foods in a relaxed and fun environment can help overcome picky eating. Making a simple fruit salad with your child, using fresh, frozen and/or tinned fruit can provide the opportunity for your child to taste small amounts of a wide range of different fruits. For older children, this activity can also develop their skills in peeling and cutting fruit as well as opening tins.

You can find lots more healthy tips, advice and recipes at:- HeartResearch.Org.UK

Freemasons' charity welcomes Government help for sector during Coronavirus pandemic

THE Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), the Freemasons' national charity, welcomes the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that ₤750 million will be made available to help keep the sector afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic. David Innes, Chief Executive of the Masonic Charitable Foundation, said:- "Many charities up and down the country, including several that we work alongside, have seen donations plunge right at the time their services are most needed. The Chancellor's announcement of ₤750 million to support the sector will come as a huge relief to them and the many tens of thousands of people they support." During the Coronavirus pandemic, Freemasons across England and Wales are providing support to vulnerable people in their communities, ranging from help with shopping and collecting prescriptions, through to using 3D printers to manufacture personal protective equipment for staff in care homes. Fortunately, the MCF will not need to draw on this money and indeed has established an initial fund of over ₤1,000,000 to support frontline charities over the months ahead as they respond to the current crisis. The MCF is a major grant giver to over 300 charities every year across England and Wales. These include major grants of ₤1,000,000 to Age UK to help with the elderly and Home Start, which supports families with young children. Every year, Freemasonry as a whole provides an estimated ₤45 million in charitable giving which is funded entirely from the donations of Freemasons, their families and friends. In addition, Freemasons also undertake more than 18,500,000 million hours of unpaid social and civic volunteering each year.

Energy giant helps parents in Sefton power up home learning with exciting resources to help children connect with electricity

SP Energy Networks is encouraging parents to power up its 'PowerWise' educational resource to help support children's learning from home during COVID-19. The online resource aims to raise awareness of power safety among families with kids and young people in Sefton. The Power Wise website aims to help children to understand how electricity is generated, distributed and how to stay safe around it. The lesson ideas are fully interactive and engaging with different activities for kids in their early years, Primary School and Secondary School. The activities and challenges are also all linked to the national curriculum. The online resource includes fun and educational activities for children to enjoy while at home. Children can choose between taking on a safety, environment or science mission where through different types of tasks they can learn more about safety, biodiversity, fuelling the future, and the science behind electricity. There is an exciting mission to suit every child with challenges ranging from designing a fun comic strip, recording their own podcast or even taking part in electrifying experiments from home.

Carina Little, mum of 2 youngsters called Orla and Ellis, said:- "It's hard keeping your kids entertained during lockdown and educational activities are important to pass the time. Orla and Ellis loved the Power Wise mini missions and learned lots about where electricity comes from. It's the perfect way to get them inspired by science."

Liam O'Sullivan, Director at SP Energy Networks, said:- "We know parents are looking for ways to inspire their kids and keep them busy for hours on end, so we're making resources available online to help keep bright sparks entertained with fun, hands on activities that can be done at home. We've included interactive mini missions specifically designed for kids that explain complicated science and technology in a really simple and fun way. We would love to hear what parents, carers and kids think of Power Wise, so post your Power Wise feedback and comments to our SP Energy Networks Twitter and Facebook pages using the hashtag:- #powerwise."

SP Energy Networks owns and manages overhead and underground power lines within:- Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales, North Shropshire and Southern and Central Scotland. In the event of a power cut, call SP Energy Networks on:- 105. Find out more about PowerWise by visiting:- PowerWise.Org.UK and for any questions or feedback on the resource visit the SP Energy Networks Twitter account or Facebook Page.

Customers who have received a letter from the NHS advising them that they are 'at risk' and should take additional measures to protect themselves from COVID-19 are being advised to sign up for the Priority Services Register. This provides free additional services to customers in vulnerable circumstances if there is an unexpected power cut. They should sign up at:- SpenergyNetworks.Co.UK or text:- 'PSR' to 61999.

In the event of a power cut, customers should call the national 105 hotline no matter who they pay their bill to. More information about how SP Energy Networks is responding to COVID-19 is available here.