Objectives
Blackburn is one of a number of towns in the North West which has a large ethnic minority community.  Warburtons is keen to ensure that they are culturally inclusive and recognise that Asians account for a large number of independent retail customers and consumers. Warburtons Burnley bakery asked Souters to find and implement a meaningful activity which would enable it to work more closely with local Asian communities.  It was important for them that all activity underpinned Warburton’s brand values of ‘family’ and ‘caring’ and communicated the importance of bread as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. It also had to extend its reach by generating media coverage and be realistically costed.

Planning
There were four main areas to the planning:-

1. Find a partner organisation close to our target community group, who had a good understanding of the issues facing that group and was already delivering credible support.

2. Find an idea which met the brief, could be delivered within budget, but also fitted with the wider brand values eg felt right for Warburtons

3. Capitalise on support already being provided by Warburtons to local schools with large Asian populations eg breakfast clubs

4. Look for an initiative with potential for media coverage and national roll-out.

Established in 1998 EAZ supports 22 schools in the most deprived areas of the Blackburn borough. The areas served by the Zone are more likely to shop with independent retailers rather than supermarkets, both for religious and cultural reasons as well as accessibility.

The area includes the Audley ward which covers Audley Nursery, Infants and Junior schools. EAZ proposed that we invested in a Healthy Families project aimed at parents of children attending these schools. More than 90% of the children live in homes where English is not the first language and 30% are entitled to free school meals.

The project aimed to develop a broad understanding of healthy living and link traditional Asian food with healthy western diets. It also set out to promote activity, particularly among women and girls, and equip parents with practical skills which they could share with their families.

Course material was developed in association with St Mary’s FE College in Blackburn to establish credibility and to access their considerable expertise in communicating with and motivating this group.

A three-week healthy living course consisting of 3 x one hour sessions was put together and delivered.

Week one focussed on healthy eating, week two focussed on active living (and included a guided walk around Blackburn with a community-employed health worker) and week three focussed on healthy learning, including a visit to the Warburtons website looking at recipes and safe internet use.

Warburtons branding appeared on all course material and the company provided product as refreshments at the three teaching sessions. A Warburtons school visitor also attended the first session.

To mark the end of the pilot project, Warburtons hosted a party for the children of the Mums who took part. The company provided food and refreshments which was prepared by the Mums based on what they had learnt. It was a fun and practical reinforcement of the healthy living message.

All participants received a certificate and a Warburtons goody bag, presented by Duncan Lees, General Manager at Warburtons Burnley bakery and the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen.

• 22 Asian mums took part in the initiative
• 60+ Asian parents and children attended the party
• Media coverage was achieved in Blackburn-based Lancashire Evg Telegraph (c 42,165 x 3 = readership of 126,495) and BBC Radio Lancashire (audience of 272,000) whose community bus broadcast from the school on the day of the party. This was well-received by staff, pupils and parents.
• Delivery of the course by trusted parties enabled Warburtons to build credible links with the Asian community without being overtly commercial and communicated the value it places on caring for the health of families.
• Practical elements of learning went down extremely well. Women who had never made sandwiches before were using bread as a base for healthy snacks for their families.
• Course material is being considered for Warburtons educational website and a regional and national roll out strategy is underway.
• Guidelines on liaising with ethnic communities are being developed for all Warburtons employees.

“The project was well-organised, well attended and well received”
Staff at Audley School

“Before attending the course, most of the women had never made sandwiches for their families before”
Gill Cousin, Tutor, St Mary’s College

 “When and where can we do this again?”
Hanif Mangera, Family Learning Co-ordinator, Blackburn