It’s hard to believe it’s a week since we held our Australian Tour Launch Party. It’s even harder to believe we are finally on our Australian Tour with the mission of Transforming Children’s Health in Australia, One Lunchbox At A Time.
Today I am writing from beautiful Stockton Beach Holiday Park, near Newcastle in NSW. We have been here a week and our kids have struck up a friendship with 2 other children who have been travelling Australia for 11 months. It makes my heart sing to see them so happy and to be hearing stories of the sights they will see. They are now playing together so it’s given me a bit of headspace to sit down to write about our Australian Tour Launch Party on Saturday 10th October, 2015.
We had an absolutely amazing day. I’ll do my best here to share it with you and to thank the many people who helped us have an amazing send off and launch of our Australian Tour.
You
Firstly, a huge thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone that came along to the launch party, and thank you to everyone of you who couldn’t make it but wished us well.
Introducing Louise Stone
Louise is the Principal of Chifley Public School and she generously allowed us to use her incredible school grounds to host our launch party. She was also our awesome MC for the day.
Louise is one of the most forward thinking School Principals I have ever met. I first met Louise through a mutual friend who thought we may be able to help each other out. Louise had already identified her school needed some help with getting on track with healthier food choices, and connected this to classroom behaviour and teacher stress.
I first met with Louise probably close to 2 years ago now. We spoke about educating at the grass roots level with the kids, creating an edible garden and her dream of having an outdoor kitchen garden from which they could teach the kids to cook using real foods from their garden. I shared the results I had been getting from The Mad Food Science Program™ and Louise decided almost instantly that she wanted her entire school of approx 260 children to experience the program. The stumbling block was money – we needed to work out how to fund it because the school population was very mixed demographically. It took me some time but I managed to get a grant from the Clovelly Community Branch of Bendigo Bank which allowed us to fund the entire school to go through the program. We ran the program at the school last November, and the feedback from students, teachers and parents was incredible.
Louise used the program as a catalyst to get more of her children involved in setting up a edible garden in the school grounds. I was delighted to hear from one of the teachers that before The Mad Food Science Program™ there were only 18 students who regularly volunteered to take care of the garden, but within a couple of weeks of the program, they had 80 students volunteering. This level has been maintained and their edible garden is just flourishing. They not only have plants, but chickens, and will soon have bees and frogs.
Louise needed $3,000 to fulfill on her dream of the outdoor kitchen garden. I am beyond proud to say that between The Root Cause, our National Partner Worldwide Printing Solutions and Clovelly Community Branch of Bendigo Bank, we raised the $3,000 for Louise and her school now has an outdoor kitchen garden. This has allowed Chifley Public School to be accepted into The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, and the students are now regularly learning, cooking and eating real food all grown and cooked in their outdoor edible kitchen garden.
Almost 12 months on, I can tell you the difference in the children’s behaviour at sitting still in an assembly in the sun for 30 minutes is remarkable. You can feel a real change in the vibe at the school and there is a real spark amongst the teachers. I am not for any stretch saying The Mad Food Science Program has done this, I believe it all comes down to Louise’s brilliant leadership, but I am extremely proud to have been involved in the transformation of children’s health in this school.
Louise had these beautiful words to say about what we are doing:
I can only imagine the impact they will have travelling Australia in this amazing mobile home/billboard visiting schools and imparting this knowledge and passion.
Introducing Rob Dallimore
Rob is the Managing Director of our National Partner Worldwide Printing Solutions.
Worldwide were our very first partner and Rob has been so passionate about his team supporting us. Worldwide Printing Solutions provide us with all our printed materials for handouts to the children who participate in The Mad Food Science Program™. They also support us if I need educational materials designed and are providing us with promotional material such as pens, seed sticks and more.
Worldwide Printing Solutions really are instrumental in helping us to transform children’s health.
Introducing Scott Anderson
Scott is the Managing Director of our National Partner Scott Sign.
What can I say but the generosity of this man and his business, has taken my dream and vision of our bus being a mobile billboard for our mission of Transforming Children’s Health in Australia and turned it into reality. I always said I wanted the bus to stop traffic – meaning I wanted it to be a statement that got people to ask us what it’s about or prompted them to look us up.
The day with picked up the bus from Scott, I literally fell apart crying. To be totally honest, I sobbed, I bawled, I almost hyperventilated. It was bigger and so much better than I had ever envisioned. And I can tell you, the mobile billboard is working. It has generated lots of chats about children’s health already, starting outside my mum’s to the campground here at Stockton Beach Holiday Park. And of course, Jamie Oliver.
Those of you who have been following The Root Cause for some time, know how I have been trying desperately to get our mission in front of Jamie Oliver (my inspiration). The day we picked up the bus, I thought you know what, I am going to send a picture of our beautiful billboard to Jamie Oliver via his instagram account. The morning after, I woke to a message directly from Jamie saying “Cool, please email my assistant…” – You can imagine my screams!
I can not express our gratitude to Scott enough.
Scott’s work, I am 100% sure is what helped cut through all the other requests Jamie Oliver must get each day. And it’s creating the conversations we want to have with people about children’s health whilst being on the road.
Introducing Mayor Noel D’Souza
We were ecstatic to have the Mayor of Randwick City Council – Noel D’Souza come along and officially launch The Root Cause Australian Tour.
The Mayor spoke passionately about the issues facing children’s health in Australia (obesity, diabetes, allergies and more). He said it is a “modern day epidemic”, and how “it’s time we – all of us – did something about it.” Yes, it was a pretty emotional day but when the Mayor had this to say about Israel and I, tears flowed:
When they embark from here today, I believe they will be saving many lives in the days ahead.
Introducing Matt and Varsh
This is Matt and Varsh from Brasserie Bread – bakers of the most delicious organic artisan sourdough.
If you want a scrumptious breakfast, morning tea or Lunch, you should visit one of the Brasserie Bread locations in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Matt and Varsh came along to the launch and handed out their delicious breads with butter or olive oil. Many lucky guests also received sourdough to take home with them.
Matt also runs Brasserie Bread’s Breaducation Classes for kids every Saturday at the Sydney Bakery – the classes are totally free, but you will need to book, because they are so very popular. Brasserie Bread also runs school excursions and artisan bread making workshops for adults.
Introducing Lube
Lube from Coffee Crew, came along to our launch with his family and fantastic coffee van. He served much needed coffee, tea and hot chocolates.
If you’re looking for a reliable mobile coffee van for your next event, we’d highly recommend Lube from Coffee Crew. Not only is he reliable but comes with a smile and exceptional service.
Introducing Angie
Angie is a Thermomix Consultant and Leader.
Angie made everyone fruity dream ice cream and a delicious beetroot salad. You probably have all seen me in photos with my Thermomix in the background and I can honestly say, it was one of the reasons we became additive and preservative free relatively quickly. It makes it so simple. Angie was able to whip up the ice cream and the salad in a matter of minutes.
Introducing Kathryn
Kathryn is a personal trainer and director of Move More Personal Training. She is also a certified Health and Wellness Coach. Kathryn came along and got everyone moving gently on the spot for about 10 minutes. I first met Kathryn when we were both studying to be Health Coaches, and she was one of 3 remarkable women who supported me when I first shared what I wanted to do with transforming children’s health in Australia. Their support for the last 2 years has been my strength.
Introducing Liv Phyland – Our Ambassador
Liv Phyland is best known from the role she played in the fantastic children’s programs on ABC3 for Kids. She is now an awesome compere on The Loop on channel eleven – a great music show.
Our kids absolutely love Liv and a few months back I met her at a conference. Ok, you could say I stalked her until I got a photo with her to show the kids – and they were suitably impressed. So when we got the bus signwritten, I plucked up the courage to reach out to her and ask her to be our Ambassador. You can imagine my excitement when Liv said she would be honoured to be our Ambassador. I’d love to thank Liv for taking on the challenge of helping us make healthy food cool for kids, but for also elevating me to the status of super cool mum with my kids – lol!
Liv’s role as our Ambassador will help us make healthy food for kids cool instead of them feeling like they are not normal or missing out if they don’t have packet food.
Introducing Our Families
And last but not at all least, our families who have been an endless support, even if at times they thought we were nuts or not doing things the right way. We are so very fortunate to both have such awesome families.
And our little guy turned 5 too
Amongst all the craziness of the launch party, we also had Superheroes Inc send along Luke Skywalker to help Rilien and his friends celebrate his 5th birthday. Is it just me, or are your kids birthdays tinged with a little bit of melancholy – like just where has time gone? Sob, our last baby is no longer a baby.