Welsh nurseries using fresh, local milk to stay healthy and hydrated through heatwaves
Nurseries and schools across Wales are using milk from local dairies to keep children hydrated and healthy through the record-breaking summer heat.
The British summer months this year have been dominated by record-breaking high temperatures, particularly in Wales where the country’s hottest June day since records began was recorded in Cardiff’s Bute Park. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) expects July to have been the driest on record for almost 200 years.
With authorities encouraging people to stay hydrated in the heat, nurseries are using free, local milk to help youngsters in their care, and it is proving popular among many of the children.
Staff at Puddleducks Preschool in Caerphilly have been using milk supplied by Cool Milk at snack time to support healthy habits, while nearby Y Bont Caerphilly, a day nursery situated at Twyn Primary School, has been encouraging the children to incorporate milk into their daily routine, with Cool Milk’s service delivering milk to their doorstep each week.
Leanne Pitt, Manager at Y Bont Caerphilly said:
“We serve breakfast and snacks throughout the day. Cool Milk is a big part of this. We encourage all the children, even the two-year-olds, to pour and serve their own milk every day. We use china jugs and glasses, and they have learned so much from this.
“We are a small team of seven ladies who are completely dedicated to giving the children in our care the best start possible in every aspect of their development, including healthy eating.
“It’s really helpful to have it delivered twice a week, and the children love going out to collect it and carry it in for us.”
As the UK’s leading school milk provider, Cool Milk supplies almost half of all nurseries in Wales (48%) with fresh milk every day. With a commitment to supply Welsh milk for Welsh children wherever possible, Cool Milk works with a network of 47 Welsh dairies to supply 895 nurseries, managing the entire process from purchase to reimbursement through the Nursery Milk Scheme.
One of those dairies is Brecon Milk, which has worked with the supplier for around 14 years.
Robert Davies from Brecon Milk said:
“There is nothing more hydrating than milk, which is good for their nutrition and health. Cool Milk is a great service. It allows children to access fresh milk on a daily basis. It also gives access to children who for whatever reason might not get milk at home.”
As well as being cool and hydrating, milk has long been utilised as a healthy drinking option for young people in the UK, with a 189ml bottle of milk provided at school offering almost half the daily calcium requirement for a 4-6 year-old child, as well as being a proven source of iodine and vitamins B2 & B12.
To find out more about Cool Milk, visit www.coolmilk.com.
