And recently they were given a healthy head start when 90 Hunter Water drink bottles were delivered as part of Hunter New England Health’s Crunch&Sip program.

The program involves primary schools scheduling a break in the school day for children to eat fruit and vegetables and drink water in the classroom.

The program is part of Good for Kids. Good for Life, a five-year pilot funded by NSW Health and Hunter New England Health, aimed at tackling childhood obesity in the Hunter New England area.

A Lower Hunter community grant from Hunter Water provides a free water bottle to all students in primary schools that register for Crunch&Sip, to encourage water consumption both in and out of the classroom.

Gresford teacher Beth Tickle said the school has been practising the program for a few years now.

“The children bring fresh water daily which sits on their desk during class,” Mrs Tickle said.

“And we also have a break when they eat the fruit they have bought from home.

“If for some reason they don’t have some fruit, it is supplied by the school.

“We also have a big environmental focus here with the leftover food scraps used as feed for the chooks in the hen house.”

School captain Rowena Dillon said the program was a good idea.

“We have been doing it here ever since I was in kindergarten,” she said.

“It helps make children healthier.”

Good for Kids. Good for Life. program manager, Belinda Rose, said Hunter Water had supplied around 30,000 water bottles to the program, which were proving popular with students and teachers alike.

“Having a water bottle on each student’s desk makes drinking water throughout the day so easy, and helps to support the message that water is the healthiest drink for kids,” said Ms Rose.

“It is important for children to develop healthy habits while they are still young – habits that can stay with them for life.”

Hunter Water’s Managing Director, Kevin Young, applauded the initiative.

“The program is a fantastic way to reinforce the importance of eating fresh fruit and vegetables and drinking water. Hunter Water is proud to contribute to such a valuable program,” said Mr Young.