TWO local campaigners, took their ‘Sweets Out For School’ campaign to the next level by formally writing to Government ministers.

Last month, Kate Guerin and Caitriona Py Collins got together to start a national campaign called “Sweets Out For School” to see if they could build a momentum for change.

They were tired of hearing discussions in the school yard, the playground, Parents’ Associations meetings etc. time and time again about using sweets as a reward in school and felt that something had to be done about it.

They have now formally written to the Ministers for Education, Health and Children Ministerial Directive mandating schools to:

1. Direct Teachers not to give sweets as rewards to children in Primary Schools.

2. Remove sweets and sugary drinks from vending machines in Secondary Schools.

They say this will be a small step to break the cycle of associating sweets with rewards and removing easy access sweets to teenagers.

Media outlets picked up the story and Senator Catherine Noone has also issued a press release backing the campaign.

Darina Allen of Ballymalloe Cookery School, Prof Niall Moyna from TV3’ Doctor in The House, and Consultant Dietician Paula Mee are also supporting them. Their latest advocate is Alison Canavan, model and author and parenting blogger.

They have started a conversation and now request that government Ministers, in their Cabinet capacities, reflect on their request to break the cycle of having sweets as rewards in school and making sweets inaccessible to teenagers.

You can follow them on Facebook ‘Sweets Out For School’ or you can email them at sweetsoutforschool@gmail.com