AN AMBITIOUS Europe-wide healthy eating project began in City Park, Bradford, today as people were asked to sign up and say "We Love Eating".

The EU-funded project was rolled out simultaneously in seven cities across Europe, and begins a 12 month pilot scheme to get more people eating healthier food, exercising more regularly and drinking more water.

Bradford is the only UK city involved, and after an event in Forster's Bistro yesterday to let possible partners in the scheme learn more about the project, there were events in City Park and Oastler Market today, with healthy food giveaways, exercise sessions, games and advice on better ways to eat healthy.

At the same time people were taking part in similar events in the other participating cities Banská Bystrica in Slovakia, Cluj-Napoca in Romania, Deventer in the Netherlands, Granollers in Spain, Pozna in Poland and Roncq in France.

The project calls for people to think more about what they eat - ditch ready meals in favour of cooking fresh ingredients, make meals more of a social event, drinking more water and getting more exercise. It is specifically targeting three groups put most at risk by an unhealthy lifestyle - the elderly, pregnant women and children.

Locally it is being run by Born In Bradford and Shipley-based healthy living group HALE, as well as groups like Forster Community College and Jamie's Ministry of Food.

Today, the HALE bus, converted into a community space and kitchen, pulled up into City Park with staff handing out healthy, vegetable filled wraps.

Frances Holling, of HALE, said: "We've had lots of people engaging with us today.

"I'm surprised at how excited people have been about the project, people seem to be loving it and we've had lots of people stop and ask us for more information, not just to get some free food. I'm really surprised how many people haven't tried wraps before.

"The great thing is a lot of the people we spoke to today were not the people who would usually go to healthy eating events in community centres. There have been a lot of mixed ages and people from different backgrounds too."

They are trying to get families, community groups, schools and individuals to sign up to "pledges" to live more healthy lifestyles, and Mrs Holling said there had been a great take up so far.

For more information about the project visit facebook.com/BradfordWeLoveEating