Ellie’s campaign is now in full swing, with more research and collaboration with our colleagues in Public Health. Read on to find out more about what Ellie’s been up to.

This month I’ve been given the opportunity to do further research and collaboration with Public Health, as they will soon engage young people about their views on school meals.

This is a really positive step forward from my original meeting with Tamara Bennett, Public Health Nutritionist, and I am incredibly optimistic about the responses we can generate. Additionally, I met with Tracey McCallum from NHS England, who has been engaging with our fellow Somerset Youth Forum group, to further scrutinise the quality of lunchtime food. Hopefully, we’ll be able to identify key issues for our young people and identify their own awareness, understanding and feelings about the topic through consultation.

I was also given the opportunity to participate in Tracey’s projects promoting positive feelings towards body image, which I’m passionate about! And now I’ll also have the chance to partake in their steering group for the project. As always, it’s crucial to have a young person’s voice on these panels, and so I am looking forward to attending their next meeting in the new year.

This month has proven to be one focused on truly understanding young people’s views on the topics my campaign centres upon, and these partnerships will be valuable sources of information and research for my future action!

And finally, I urge any young people in local secondary schools, to complete this short, anonymous NHS Somerset survey on Body Image: Body Image Support

It will help design and improve services and raise better understanding and awareness.

Help us to help each other!

Ellie