Contractor Chartwells joins National School Meals Week event

The contractor, which works with more than 2,000 education establishments, including primary, secondary and independent schools as well as colleges and universities, plans to give away 40,000 free school meals in the process. Building on the research carried out the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) and ParentPay that was launched at the start of NSMW, school children across nine local authorities served by Chartwells have taken home a survey asking parents and guardians to give feedback on the food provided in their schools. Topics include quality, taste, daily choice and value for money of school meals. The results of the survey will be used to further improve the school meals Chartwells provides and the range of the dishes on offer. The surveys have been used by Chartwells' client local authorities to kick-start National School Meals Week, which is organised by LACA each year to engage children, parents and teachers on the topic of school dining and encourage uptake of school meals. Chartwells business director John Carlin, who is responsible for the project, says: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to get to the heart of what parents want from school meals and evolve our offer to meet their needs and the needs of their children. "Providing children with the right food is vital for building sharp bodies and sharp minds, helping students concentrate on learning throughout the school day. "Chartwells is committed to delivering fresh, healthy, great tasting food and we hope that this survey, along with our regional initiatives, will help us further improve our offer and entice students to eat school meals."