ABERDEENSHIRE vegetable growers have invited people of all ages to join them in a health-boosting New Year challenge.

Dr Wendy Seel and Dr Anne Taylor of Vital Veg, Midmar, are encouraging participants to record the number of portions of fruit and vegetables they eat each day in January. Contestants can award themselves virtual medals depending on how many portions they eat, and share their progress online if they wish.

Anne explained: “It occurred to me that there must be thousands of people who are keen to achieve the 5-a-day goal, but don’t manage it. I thought that a fun challenge might help.

"It’s amazing what a difference simply making a daily note of the veg you eat on a little chart pinned to your fridge makes. You suddenly become competitive, even if it is just with yourself! January seems like the perfect time for this challenge, when people are setting New Year’s resolutions and when there are so many lovely vegetables available from growers throughout Scotland and further afield.”

“There’s no downside to participating in this challenge,” commented Pete Ritchie, director of Nourish Scotland who are partners in Peas Please – a project in which companies large and small pledge to make vegetables more accessible. “The research shows that the more vegetables and fruit we eat, the more our health is likely to improve. Even if we all eat just one or two more portions of fruit and veg per day, there are health benefits. If we eat local, seasonal, organic fruit and vegetables, that’s even better as it’s really fresh, and supports the local economy too.”

Anyone wanting to take part can print off record sheets from www.facebook.com/groups/VitalVegAthon2018

For further information, email to: info@vitalveg.co.uk and include VitalVegAthon in the subject line.