The Spring Challenge is about celebrating all that is fresh and green and great about spring across the top of the South.

Green veggies are springing up. A new season of grass sports kicks off. The days get longer – and we want to help you make the most of it.

The NPA  has been out talking with local families about how hard it is to get kids eating enough vegetables and doing enough exercise. Time and money are big problems – and so is a lack of ideas.

That’s why we developed the Spring Challenge - to support local families in their struggle to get kids eating more vegetables and doing more exercise.

NPA programme director Helen Steenbergen said the Spring Challenge was designed to inspire kids and motivate parents.

“We are challenging the kids across the top of the south to turn off their Playstations, and try fresh foods and get into action,” Mrs Steenbergen said.

“It tastes way better and is heaps more fun than blobbing on the couch.

“And the challenges are designed to get the most out of what we have locally so that doing the right thing won’t cost a lot of money.”

The campaign is engaging 5000 families across the top of south in the challenge, with the distribution of groovy green bags for parents, green shoelaces and corn seeds for the kids and touch footballs for the 26 primary schools involved.

So welcome to the Spring Challenge – get into fresh foods, get into action, get HealthyAs!