Past Campaign
Feed The Future 22
Children are going hungry in our schools.
Join us in supporting the feed the future campaign which calls on the government to extend free school meal eligibility to all children in England from households in receipts of universal credit.
The Government can change this by expanding eligibility to all households receiving Universal Credit. The change would more than pay for itself – returning £1.38 for every pound spent over 20 years.
Kids in England are the worst off – eligibility thresholds here for free school meals are the UK’s strictest – only families earning under £7,400 qualify. In Northern Ireland, the threshold is £14,000. In Wales & Scotland all primary school children qualify. We need a fairer system.
“I’ve never known anything like this during my career, it is getting worse. Children are coming to school hungry and we’re caught between a rock and a hard place.
They’re hungry, they can’t concentrate so our resources are worthless, but if the budget goes on school food, the resources suffer. ”
Lisa Williams – Feed The Future
Headteacher, Rushey Green Primary
FEED THE FUTURE
Co-Founder Nicole Pisani Introduces the #FeedTheFuture Campaign
Teacher Survey Response
“Children are often unwell due to the lack of nutrients in their food at home.”
Teacher Survey Response
“It’s the children whose parents just miss the cut off for financial help who suffer the most.”
Teacher Survey Response
“It’s so prevalent. Children don’t have any meals at home. I’m buying food for them myself.”
Teacher Survey Response
“It negatively affects their ability to focus in class and their ability to regulate their emotions.”
Polling data
“The children I worry about most are those of the working poor. They aren’t entitled to free school meals. It’s insane that we live in the 21st century, in a wealthy country, and children are going hungry.”
83%
of teachers said children were coming to school hungry because their parents couldn’t afford enough food
79%
saw children bring packed lunches with insufficient amounts of food
Polling Data
“When I did work in state schools I found that children were either stealing food from others or eating things such as rubbers to have something in their tummies. Too many families live on the poverty line.”
Polling Data
“There have many children who can not afford food at home. This has worsened during the last 3 years and I suspect it will get worse during this coming year. Staff will often go out of their way and pay out of their pocket to feed children in school.”
23%
said children were skipping lunch entirely due to poverty
53%
said schools were subsidising the cost of feeding children
Polling Data
“Children have stolen snacks from other children because they’re hungry and it’s not fair that they’re then tarnished with being a thief by other children when their basic needs should be met.”
“We say there is a food poverty crisis gripping this nation – schools are not only feeding children, they’re supporting families – setting up foodbanks, market stalls or supplying meals themselves.
Families are choosing between heating and eating. No one wants to go hungry – but many are..”
Naomi Duncan
Chief Executive, Chefs in Schools
Teacher Survey Responses
“I support this campaign with all my heart. Schools can offer a fantastic opportunity to teach children to cook and eat good food that will set them up for life.”
Prue Leith
Restaurateur, chef, broadcaster and writer.
In other news…
Want to see more, why no read some of our news articles.
health workers back feed the future
Leaders representing doctors, nurses, dieticians, support staff and medical students support the Feed the Future campaign.
The Impact of hunger in schools
Press Release: Our research reveals the impact of hunger on children in schools.
The feed the future campaign
We joined forces with other food organisations to call for an expansion of FSM.
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