YOUNGSTERS from a Poole school have taken part in an initiative championing healthy eating.

The children, from St Joseph’s Catholic Combined School, visited Parkstone’s Waitrose store as part of a nationwide volunteering prog-ramme run by the Business in the Community organisation called Give & Gain Day.

The Ashley Road super-market was one of nearly 1,000 Waitrose shop partners taking part in the scheme, to promote healthy eating in schools to almost 15,000 pupils.

Waitrose’s involvement was part of its partner volunteer-ing programme, which aims to donate 11,000 full working weeks to local causes by 2017.

More than 200 Waitrose stores also took part in the initiative. A Waitrose spokesman said the youngsters, who visited the store in groups, enjoyed fun tastings, a tour of the branch and healthy eating quizzes.

The supermarket’s sust-ainable and ethical sourcing manager, Tina Varns, said: “Healthy eating is a very important national issue and we’re delighted to be playing a part in educating school children about this.

“The BITC Give & Gain Day is a fantastic national event and we are looking forward to helping school children get excited about healthy eating.”

Waitrose has also pledged to establish local food banks at each of its supermarkets by the end of 2013.

Gennie Franklin, director of programmes and employee volunteering at BITC, said: “Businesses in the Community is delighted that Waitrose was part of the Give & Gain Day this year.

“Bringing school children into their stores to talk about nutrition and sourcing issues is a really encouraging development for the campaign.”