15 September 2004 - York Festival of Food & Drink

The York Festival of Food and Drink is in its eighth year. This year, there will be speciality food markets, roving feasts, tastings, demonstrations, gourmet dinners and much more. As well as being entertaining and fun, the festival also has a serious side. This year the theme is 'The Obesity Time Bomb' with particular emphasis on the problems of childhood obesity.

There will be a food clinic in which a panel of experts, headed by TV nutritionist Amanda Ursell, will answer questions on children's eating habits. Kate Bowie from Sustain will address teachers and professionals on the Grab 5 campaign to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables and a head teacher will explain how he revolutionised school meals by bringing in a restaurant chef.

On Wednesday 15th September, the festival's keynote address will be given by Dr Alexandra Richardson, Senior Research Fellow, Mansfield College and the University Laboratory of Physiology at Oxford, and co-director of the charity Food And Behaviour Research. She has carried out important research into the links between a junk food diet and the brain and whether fish oils can improve learning and behaviour. This session will be of interest to parents, teachers and health professionals.

This is a ticketed event but tickets are free of charge. To book a place, phone the Festival ticket line 08701 20 31 15 (active from 5th July).