The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed news that Oldham Council intends to put its hat in the ring to become a pioneer to promote healthy eating to pregnant women who are under eighteen or on a low income.

In June, Councillor Sykes wrote to Labour Cabinet Members asking them to consider putting Oldham Council forward as a partner of the Alexandra Rose Charity (www.alexandrarose.org.uk) and develop a new pilot project for the borough.

The charity has already run three successful projects in London, where women in recipient of Healthy Start vouchers, which are redeemed for fruit, vegetables and milk, receive additional vouchers from Alexandra Rose.

Commenting Councillor Sykes said: “We have to recognise that many mothers start out on a very-low income. Healthy Start provides them with an additional income in the form of vouchers, but this is a healthy income as it can only be spent on good things that will help them maintain their health.

“A partnership with the Alexandra Rose Charity would be exciting as Oldham Council would be amongst the first, if not itself the first, local authorities outside of London that would be able to provide an additional ‘top up’ to low-income and young mothers – and not only mothers because young children living in these families also benefit.

“Like the idea of establishing a Community Shop in our borough, this too represents another practical suggestion from the Liberal Democrats to help women in our borough struggling to make ends meet and faced with food poverty.

“The other benefit of the Alex Rose scheme is that these vouchers have to be spent in local markets or otherwise with local food suppliers helping to boost the fortunes of our local market traders and shop keepers rather than the profits of large supermarket chains.

“The deadline for submitting our expression of interest is 27 July and I am confident that our officers will meet it.  I look forward to the second round when we can expect to meet representatives from the Alexandra Rose charity visiting our borough to discuss taking my proposal forward.”