Smoothie bikePatients and staff at the Royal Free Hospital are today being invited to break the cycle of unhealthy eating and use pedal-power to make themselves a delicious and nutritious snack with the help of a specially designed “smoothie bike”.

As part of Nutrition and Hydration Week, a joint campaign by the Hospital Caterers Association, the National Association of Care Catering and NHS England, visitors to the hospital restaurant will be able to take a ride on a smoothie bike between 10am and 2pm on Friday 20 March.

The bespoke stationary contraption comes with a smoothie blender attached, and allows the rider to add their own ingredients before whizzing up a free fruit smoothie using pedal power alone.

Throughout the day dozens of trust staff, including David Sloman, chief executive (pictured right), took the time and effort to prepare themselves a pedal-powered snack.

The bike has been brought in as part of a joint effort by the Royal Free Hospital’s patient environment team and catering supplier OCS to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition and hydration.

Sheila Connolly, head of patient environment at the Royal Free Hospital, said: “The smoothie bike is a perfect way of promoting Nutrition and Hydration week, which aims to improve awareness of good nutrition and hydration for patients in health and social care.

“A fruit or vegetable smoothie can form part of a healthy, balanced diet and is just another way of keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day. The fact that you’ll get a couple of minutes’ exercise while making one is an added bonus.”

The smoothie bike will be available for use in the Foodhouse Restaurant, lower ground floor, from 10am on Friday 20 March.

For more information email Sheila.Connolly@nhs.net.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media contacts: daniel.obrien1@nhs.net or call 0207 317 7740

Nutrition and Hydration Week runs from 16-22 March and aims create a global movement that will reinforce and focus, energy, activity and engagement on nutrition and hydration as an important part of quality care, experience and safety improvement in health and social care settings.

About the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver, kidney and bone marrow transplantation, haemophilia, renal, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.

In July 2014 Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital became part of the Royal Free London.