CHILDREN joining their parents on shopping trips to a convenience store in Cricklade have been treated to a sweet surprise this week – but it is not something they should feel guilty about.

Londis Culverhay Stores on White Horse Road has embraced the spirit of New Year’s resolutions and has been trying to help children keep on the straight and narrow and see their healthy eating bids live on past the end of January.

All this week they have been giving a free piece of fruit to every child who comes into the store with their parents.

The store, which marks seven years in the hands of Hema Jain-Brar and husband Jagvinder Brar this Sunday, might be known for selling some unhealthy treats, but Hema said that was no reason why they couldn’t encourage a healthier option instead.

She said: “We offer a range of things, including some of the more naughtier things like crisps and chocolate, but as parents ourselves we also want to encourage healthy eating and thought this would be a way of giving a little something back to the community as well as encouraging healthy eating.

“It has had such a good response my husband and myself just think we might trial it for a regular thing, once a week or once a month in the future.”

The parents to seven year old Arjun and five year old Arya said they were keen to encourage youngsters to choose healthy snacks.

Hema said: “Everyone goes on a bit of a health drive in January, but it is about carrying it on for the rest of the year. We have ordered a lot of fruit in because people have been a bit more health conscious in January, and we thought this might be a way of carrying it on through the rest of the year.

“The response on Facebook has been really good and a lot of people have commented to us that it is a great idea, and people have said the same thing in store when they have been offered a piece of fruit for their child.

“We have been offering a range of things including bananas, apples, pears, plums and going forward we might mix it up a bit in the summer season with something exotic.”

The week-long event which runs until Sunday coincides with the store’s seventh anniversary in family hands, although Hema admitted they had been so busy with their new initiative the significance of the date had passed them by. They will remain open as usual on Sunday, after which they will make a decision on how often they will repeat their free fruit drive.