Healthcare professionals have today written to the Chancellor and the Education Secretary in support of our #FeedtheFuture campaign. Citing good nutrition as essential for young people’s growth and development, the healthcare community is calling for an extension of free school meals to all children from families in receipt of universal credit, as an urgent first step towards universal provision.
The signatories to the letter are far reaching, from the British Medical Association to the Royal Society for Public Health, to the British Dental Association. They include the most senior paediatrician in the country, Dr Camilla Kingdon, who has called for universally provided free school meals.
“How can we expect a hungry child to engage in education and learn to the best of their abilities? It’s unfair to ask this of them.”
- Dr Camilla Kingdon, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Free school meals can reduce obesity, food insecurity and health inequalities. We know that they are the best option for schoolchildren at lunchtimes. But right now, there are 800,000 children living in poverty in England who are considered ‘too well off’ to be eligible for a free school meal.
In their letter, the health sector’s workforce tells us how they see the impact of poor nutrition in their work every day. This is why they ‘believe all children in England should be guaranteed accces to the food they need to live healthy lives.’
How many more people need to speak out to convince the government to help children? You can add your voice to the call in just a few seconds, by using our e-action to write to your MP.
The health professionals’ letter can be read here.
