13th Jun 2008 - 00:00
Abstract
Sarah Ferguson the Duchess of York has called on the city of Hull to reinstate free school meals for all primary children after helping an overweight family eat healthily in an ITV1 documentary.
The Duchess was speaking at a Healthy Living Promotion picnic in East Park attended by over 250 children where she highlighted how parents struggle to meet the costs of school meals and so resort to unhealthy lunch boxes.
When asked if she would like to see free school lunches brought back to Hull the Duchess said: "Absolutely. I support this absolutely with every grain of my being. So now, we've noticed a really downhill spiral, a lot of these children are not getting proper nutrition in a day. I think it's just wrong."
On a visit to local school Paisley Primary, the healthy eating advocate said that the drop in the uptake of school meals in Hull hadn't surprised her: "That worries me. It's sad because the dinner ladies have worked so hard on this. I'd like to think one day we can get back to the free school lunches."
Labour, which introduced the free meals pilot in 2004, said last May that the decision to stop free meals would hit the poorest families hardest and that research had shown free meals in the city had attracted a high uptake and led to improved behaviour and academic performance.
A £1.10 charge per meal is now applicable.