Feeding Liverpool are supporting the national campaign led by the National Education Union and Fans Supporting Foodbanks to call on the Prime Minister to extend Free School Meals to every child in primary school in England.
To date, more than 200+ civil society leaders and decision-makers have added their name to a joint open letter to the Prime Minister to back Free School Meals for All. In Liverpool, many have added their voices including: Together Liverpool, Feeding Liverpool, Diocese of Liverpool, Mayor Steve Rotheram, and four Liverpool MPs.
A Feeding Liverpool Trustee and a local campaigner will be joining Ian Byrne MP at 10 Downing Street to hand in the joint letter, and contributions from Liverpool primary school pupils, on 29th June.
Why Free School Meals for All?
In England, Free School Meals are universal up to the age of seven. From Year 3 on, this stops and millions of children don’t get enough to eat during their school day. When children are hungry, they can’t learn. It’s hard for them to concentrate and their attainment suffers.
Providing a Free School Meal for every child is the only way to ensure that no child goes short of food at school. It increases healthy eating for every pupil, and lets children eat and socialise together, free from stigma or shame.
Scotland, Wales and London have already pledged to make school dinners free for every primary school child. It’s time we get this done for children in the rest of England too.
Kallie, a food justice campaigner and Ann Marie, a teacher from Monksdown Primary School, Norris Green shared with Radio Merseyside why this campaign is important to them.
Week of Action
From 24th – 30th June, a Week of Action has been called to engage and mobilise our communities and put pressure on the Government to take action.
The week highlights the many benefits to children, families and schools of extending Free School Meals by focussing on a key theme each day (faith, education, public health, tackling inequality, and food with the importance of good nutrition and diet).
Feeding Liverpool have been supporting Community Food Spaces and local schools to get involved in the campaign:
• Wednesday 28th June: St Andrew’s Pantry in Clubmoor, and community shop Everyone’s Aigburth will be holding awareness raising efforts with parents and volunteers.
• Thursday 29th June: Christ Church Pantry in Norris Green are holding a coffee morning for parents.
• Friday 30th June: children from Monksdown Primary School, Norris Green will lead a demonstration of support for Free School Meals for All in the school playground.
Take action:
Sign the open letter here: https://freeschoolmealsforall.org.uk/take-action
Find out more about the Week of Action: https://sites.google.com/thesmallaxe.org/fsmforalltoolkit/week-of-action?
Want to host a school or community based action? Get in touch with [email protected]