A GROUP of catering staff from Saltcoats have been awarded special ambassador roles at an event in Edinburgh.

Sheena McClymont, catering supervisor at St Anthony’s Primary School and Laura Miller, have been named as the Food for Life Scotland Ambassadors for North Ayrshire.

Sheena is working with students on cooking and growing projects that will educate them about where their food comes from.

They will collect seeds, prepare them for planting, nurture them as they grow, harvest them and then use the produce in cooking sessions.

Laura has been rewarded for her work to raise awareness of the importance of the seasonality and provenance of food among her local community so that parents and pupils have more of an appreciation of the work going on in the dining hall.

READ MORE: Saltcoats Town Hall to host stars of Scottish television shows

This will include assemblies and presentations explaining the focus on sustainable sourcing and procuring from local producers to support Scotland’s economy.

The aim of the Food for Life Scotland Ambassadors programme is to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of the revolution that’s going on behind the scenes in school meals.

Sheena told the Herald: “I think as a society we have forgotten some of the traditional family values.

“Cooking as a family or sitting at a table eating freshly prepared food is now a thing of the past.

“I’m hoping the children get inspired to take anything they have learned and enjoyed as part of the project and go home and say ‘Hey Mum, can I help you cook dinner tonight?’ or ‘Dad let’s plant this seed from my apple and see if it grows’.”