Since its inception in September 2019, the Nevis Chapter of SKN Moves has operated to improve the health of persons on Nevis. It has collaborated with various local and international stakeholders to implement some of the most notable iterations of activities geared towards normalizing good health practices for people of all ages. Now in its fifth year of operation, program coordinators have injected it with new life by focusing on the dietary component of healthy living.
Bringing about healthy lifestyle choices through healthier diet, fitness, mental integrity, and fun.
SKN Moves Nevis Chapter Motto
New for 2023: Cooking to Reduce NCDs & Quiz Competition
This year marks the inaugural Cooking to Reduce NCDs and Quiz competition on Nevis, now scheduled for October 21st and 22nd at Jessup’s Community Centre and the Malcolm Guishard Visitors Centre respectively. In explaining the Chapter’s decision to accentuate diet as an important part of the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), SKN Moves Nevis Chapter Coordinator, Shelagh James, stated, “We recognized that our focus was fitness, which forms a huge part of lifestyle changes, but […] you need fuel to feed the fire, so the idea of incorporating food […] made […] sense.”
The Objectives
[T]o test […] whether our cooks could reduce their salt intake by substituting [salt] with […] herbs and spices.
SKN Moves Nevis Chapter Coordinator, Shelagh James
According to Ms. James, the competition has two specific objectives. First, it aims provide an environment in which the abilities of local cooks to prepare meals without salt could be assessed. Second, it seeks to provide opportunities for cooks to influence their family and friends to reduce their salt intake by leveraging the experiences they derive from the competition.
The Competitors
When the competition was initially publicized, the Chapter issued a call for four families to register to compete in the event by September 29, 2023. In speaking with Urban Kreationz News (UKN), Ms. James informed that the Chapter’s original plan to have four families compete in the event had been revised to accommodate the participation of individuals. She subsequently announced the names of this year’s four competitors. They are Nedd Lestrade, Judith Webbe, Rosyll Gaskell, and Romaine Mills.
The Competition
On the first day of competition, Saturday, October 21, 2023, participants will complete the cooking challenge. When asked about details of the challenge, Ms. James noted her obligation to share limited information with us, but said, “Our four cooks […] must blindly select a protein and produce a recipe to prepare a meal [without] salt.” She provided no details about the nature of the blind selection or specific food items that the competitors will be required to use. She stated that competitors will carry over points earned in this challenge into the quiz however, only the top three scorers at the end of the first day of competition will advance.
Ms. James remained intentionally elusive when describing specifics of the events scheduled for the second day of competition, but she divulged that the quiz will be held in two parts. She noted that the nature of the first part was not disclosed to the participants. This operated to justify her not sharing that information with us. She stated, however, “[I]t’s meant to be a fun element to relax them into the second part which is the quick fire round.”
The Preparation
Ms. James indicated that the competitors received a quiz book which they were instructed to revise in preparation for the competition. She stated that the answers to quiz questions are embedded in the booklet.
The Prizes
The winner of the competition will be awarded the coveted Cook and Quiz Trophy. Prizes will also be awarded to competitors for their participation in the event, courtesy of sponsors.
New Venues for the Cooking and Quiz Competitions Announced
The cooking competition was initially scheduled to be held at Artisans Village. Due to projections of inclement weather attributable to Tropical Storm Tammy, however, Ms. James informed that the cooking competition has since been relocated to the Jessup’s Community Centre and is scheduled for 10 AM on Saturday, October 21, 2023. Ms. James also confirmed that the quiz competition will be relocated to the Malcolm Guishard Visitors Centre at 3:30 PM on Sunday, October 22, 2023, because of repairs at NEPAC.
Postponement of the Competition Considered Amid Advancement of Tropical Storm Tammy
As of 10:30 AM on Thursday, October 19, 2023, the coordinator notified Urban Kreationz that the committee will continue to monitor the development and track of Tropical Storm Tammy and will be guided by the National Emergency Management Agency in deciding whether to postpone this weekend’s events. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.
About SKN Moves
SKN Moves was inspired by the Caribbean Moves program that focuses on combatting NCDs across the region. The Nevis Chapter was launched to provide a more localized program for the island.
