FROM fresh fruit and veg to yoga and hockey, schools in Hampshire have celebrated their very healthy status.

More than 50 special, infant, primary, junior and secondary schools packed into Winchester's Great Hall for a ceremony in which they were congratulated on achieving the National Healthy Schools Standard.

To achieve the standard, schools must show they have improved in two or three specific educational areas covering healthy eating, physical activity, personal, social and health education, emotional health and well-being, drugs education, sex education and relationships, the environment and citizenship.

Mayor of Winchester, Councillor Neil Baxter, presented the schools with their awards and the Great Hall was filled with stands from schools showing how they had reached the national standard.

Teachers and pupils explained to the audience how they had made healthy living a part of their lifestyles.

Genevieve Whittle, healthy schools co-ordinator at New Milton Infant School, said she had realised the initiative was working when a pupil said he was excited because his mother was buying pears that evening.

"It turned out that up until fruit came into school there had never been any fruit in the family home," she said. "It's immeasurable the impact this has had on schools."

In keeping with the healthy theme, the audience was led through mini-workouts in between presentations.

The Healthy Schools Initiative is a national scheme launched by the government in 1999. A recent White Paper sets the target for all schools to become healthy schools by 2009.

SCHOOL'S ACHIEVING HEALTHY SCHOOLS STATUS:

Alverstoke CofE Junior, Ashley Junior, Barncroft Junior, Bentley Primary, Castle Primary, Clatford CofE Primary, Craneswater Junior, Crescent Primary, Elvetham Health Primary, Fawley Infant, Fleet Infant, Forest Edge, Freemantle CofE Infant & Nursery,

Grateley House, Hiltingbury Infant, Hiltingbury Junior, Holbrook Primary, Holbury Infant, Hook Infant, Hook Junior, Hythe Primary, John Hanson Community, Locks Heath Infant, Manor Infant, Mengham Infant, Morelands Primary, New Milton Infant, Newtown Primary, North Waltham Primary, Oakwood Infant, Orchard Infant, Paulsgrove Primary, Pennington Junior, Petersfield Infant, Portway Infant,

Ranvilles Infant, Riverside Community Special School, Salterns, Sarisbury Infant, South Farnborough Junior, St Francis Special School, St John The Baptist RC, St Mark's Junior, St Monica Infant, St Monica Junior, St Patrick's Catholic Primary, Solent Junior, Swanmore College of Technology, Vigo Infant, West Meon Primary, West Tytherley CofE Primary, Whiteley Primary, Woodcot Primary, Woodlea School.