The" Really Good School Dinner" campaign launches in Sheffield

Below is a press release from The School Food Trust about an inspired initiative to raise money from our UK school dinners to be able to buy a school dinner for a child in the developing world.Would your school be interested in doing this? If you are a headteacher this would be a great example of "community cohesion " that you could cite on your SEF whilst also delivering some excellent PSHE lessons! Have a read and let me know if you would like to take it further.


A Sheffield school today led the way nationally in a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) partnership campaign in the fight to end world hunger. Tapton School is trailblazing the Really Good School Dinner campaign ahead of its national live week in January 2010, having raised over £330 in 10 pences for the cause already.



Sheffield City Council Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning Cllr. Andrew Sangar, joined pupils for lunch at Tapton School in Sheffield to urge schools across the UK to sign up for the Really Good School Dinner, where for one week in January 2010, each time a pupil buys a school meal, they donate an extra 10 pence. This is enough to buy a whole school meal for a child in a developing country, and by consequence, an education. Many such children otherwise have to work to feed themselves.



Schools across the country are now being invited to register to take part by clicking here



Year 10 student, Akram Ahmed, who contributed the first 10p of the day, said: "I've donated my money because every six seconds people are dying in poorer countries. People are also dying from obesity in this country and school meals are healthy food, so the Really Good School Dinner is helping people here as well as in less developed countries."



Cllr. Sangar, added: “I know that the charity was overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of the Tapton children so I’m delighted that they have been chosen to lead the campaign nationally. It makes me proud that a Sheffield school has set an example for children across the rest of the country to follow next year.”



The Really Good School Dinner is a partnership campaign between The School Food Trust and the WFP, in which school children are invited to buy one, give one free. Every 10p donated by children goes to the WFP’s School Meals Programme. At the same time the campaign encourages children in this country to enjoy school lunches, which are now governed by nutritional standards, guaranteeing pupils a healthy meal.



Tapton School Headteacher, Mr David Bowes, commented: "As a healthy school, we take it very seriously and encourage pupils to make the right choices in what to eat. So it seemed absolutely right to take part in the Really Good School Dinner. It makes youngsters think not just about their own health but about others who are less fortunate.

"Our pupils are very blessed to go home and go to bed having eaten. It is so important for them to understand that many other children won't get an education if they don't eat. We will do all we can to raise their awareness of this issue.

"The campaign is a huge education vehicle for schools and is so easy to do. It brings together issues within so many subjects, such as maths, geography, science, economics and PHSE."

In support of the Really Good School Dinner, Nick Clegg, Leader of Liberal Democrats and MP for Sheffield Hallam said: “I think the campaign is an excellent way of raising money to feed hungry children across the world but also raising awareness amongst young people about people less fortunate than themselves.



“What better place to teach the next generation that every child has a right to healthy meals and a good education. Good luck in raising as much money as possible and I hope the lunch is a great success.”



Really Good School Dinner is open to any school in England. School Food Trust Chief Executive Judy Hargadon said: “This campaign highlights two hugely important issues: the importance to children’s well-being in the UK of eating a healthy school lunch and the increasing problem of world food insecurity.



“The enthusiasm by participating schools during the first Really Good School Dinner was amazing. Taking part is easy, good fun and addresses these important issues, so I encourage schools to join in and help make this Really Good School Dinner an unprecedented success.”



The first Really Good School Dinner in January 2009 saw more than 118,000 school dinners eaten by children in schools around the country, raising a total of £11,855 for WFP.



Caroline Hurford, spokesperson for the World Food Programme, commented: "Thanks to the Really Good School Dinner, more than 100,000 children have already eaten healthy school meals. We're hopeful that we can feed even more children following the next campaign. The fullest physical and intellectual development must be the right of every child."


Participating schools receive an information pack including lesson plans, international recipes, case studies, campaign posters and more.