New recruits have signed up to a healthy eating programme in the hope of getting fit and learning about nutrition.

The ten-week programme, held at the Woodlands Centre, in Linnet Road, Abbots Langley, is part of a national programme to educate children and their families about healthy eating and exercise.

It is run by Watford YMCA and funded by the Big Lottery.

Dorcas Thairu, of Bushey, heard about the programme after reading the Watford Observer and decided to bring along her eight-year-old son, Shuj, a pupil at Highwood Primary School.

She said: “I want to become better educated about food and nutrition for me and my son.

“I would like us to have a more healthy lifestyle. It is not weight that is the issue, it is about making us healthier and fitter and I think we can both learn a huge amount and pass it on to the rest of the family.

“It is about understanding what is good for us and including exercise as part of our daily lives.

“Learning how to read labels will help us make the right choices when I am food shopping.”

Mend, which stands for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition...Do Iit, is a fun, free after-school course, for children aged between seven and 13 years old, which helps families learn how to be fitter, healthier and happier.

Mend leader, Vicky Hosier, said: “I hope the children become more confident and more aware of food and what they are eating.

“The children seem really keen to learn, as do their parents and we will all work hard with them to enable them to include exercise in their daily lives and make better choices about food and nutrition.”

Debbie Taylor, 43, of Ganton Walk in South Oxhey, said: “I decided that it was a good idea for my 10-year-old daughter, Courtney to join Mend because we all know what we should eat, but with work and looking after a family, we often tend to just grab the easiest, quickest meal.

“During the week, when the kids are at school, I tend to just make a pizza or spaghetti for dinner. I know the family do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, and I am hoping Mend will give me some ideas about incorporating them into the family’s diet and tempting the kids to try more fruit.

“Courtney is slightly overweight and wants to lose a bit, and although she does do exercise, it is not enough.

“The children had their first exercise session this week and they came back from the gym looking like they had worked hard, which is fantastic.

“I hope Mend will help me shop better and think of meals that are quick, but more healthy than the ones we eat at the moment.”

The programme involves two evenings a week, during which the children and their families spend time in an educational session, followed by active games in the gym.

For more information, visit www.mendprogramme.org or call programme manager, Jess O’Gorman, on 01923 662222.