Chesterfield mum and former food bank user joins MPs in criticism of 'insulting' free school meal parcels

Katie, 30, who lives in Chesterfield town centre, was forced to turn to food banks after she gave birth to her now five-year-old daughter Orlaith and became a single parent.

The marketing professional who works for Talking Balloons in Hasland, set up Chesterfield Children’s Lunch Squad as an information point for parents in need to find local businesses offering free school meals in October half-term, after MPs voted down proposals to extend the scheme throughout school holidays.

While the Government has now u-turned on the free school meals policy, controversy was sparked online yesterday after a mother shared an image of the free school meal food parcel she had received in lockdown, which is estimated to have contained just over £5 worth of food.

Katie, who is eligible for the free school meal hampers, declined the parcels as she is now in work and no longer in need but described the quantity of the food provided as ‘insulting’.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has now confirmed that the national voucher scheme for free school meals will relaunch next week, after education leaders, campaigners and MPs called on the Government to roll out the programme urgently.

The mother-of-one was critical of the parcels which are supposed to last children for meals for two weeks.

"I think it's offensive to parents that they weren’t being trusted to spend the free school meal vouchers on food,” Katie said.

"I think it's prejudice to working class families.

"There is no way the food would last a week, fruit and vegetables aren't going to last a week.

"I definitely think moving back to vouchers will be a good thing, I don't know why they replaced it with food parcels anyway, it’s an insult.”

The 30-year-old marketing professional submitted a petition to the House of Commons last night to get the free school meal parcels discussed in Parliament, following the controversy.

Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins shared a video on Twitter yesterday (January 12) where he purchased the food given to parents, which is meant to last for two weeks of lunches, claiming the total came to just under half of the £30 which is supposed to be provided.

He said: “The images that we have seen from across the country of the inadequate food parcels provided to families with children on free school meals has been shocking.

“I wanted to find out exactly how much was being spent on food for children in my constituency, which is why I made the video at my local Lidl supermarket.

“Here in Derbyshire, the Tory County Council provided a list of food that has cost me just £14.14, but which I am told was charged to schools at £23.

“This replaced the £30 food voucher, so what has happened here is that government and councils are saving money, private companies are profiteering and children are losing out- what a disgrace!

“The entire scheme is offensive as it removes from families the basic choice that they can decide what to buy and instead replaces that with a scheme which is both poor and costly.

“Many parents on low incomes are masters at budgeting and shopping in a way that is suitable for their children’s needs and likes, and for ensuring every penny goes as far as possible.

“It was really disappointing to hear a Derbyshire Tory MP Pauline Latham blaming schools for this situation on Channel 4 news last night, and goes to show that both locally and nationally, the Tories are failing the most vulnerable families.

"It would be more cost effective, and provide more dignity and fairness for families, if the £30 was provided as a voucher to be spent on food alone.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council commented: ”Following a change in government guidance today (13 Jan) schools have the freedom to decide on the best approach for their pupils and have a range of options which include lunch parcels, local vouchers or the Department for Education’s national voucher scheme which will reopen on 18 January 2021.

"Parents can speak directly to the school about their needs.

“For schools who choose lunch parcels we provide a healthy nutritional lunchtime meal.

"12,935 lunch parcel orders have been received since the start of this lockdown.

“During the current pandemic controlling the spread of the virus is key, our lunch parcels are designed to minimise contact with the school to help reduce the transmission of the virus as they only need to be collected once a week or once a fortnight.

“Our lunch parcels are costed in line with free school meals and comply with all the school food standards and nutritional standards set by the Department for Education (DfE).

“Schools can access meal suggestions and recipe cards which show how the food can be used to create the right number of meals.

"These cards can be added to schools websites, following feedback we will be putting printed versions in the boxes as well.

“Following a recent government announcement schools can claim for additional funding of £3.50 per week for each eligible pupil receiving lunch parcel provision at home.

"To reflect this increase in available funding we have revised the content of our food parcels to make sure that eligible children and their families receive the food they need in these difficult times.”

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