Feed the children: UK businesses answer Marcus Rashford’s call for free meals this Christmas
Operation: Feed the children: From sandwich shops to global giant McDonald’s… UK businesses answer Marcus Rashford’s call for free meals this Christmas
- Hospitality businesses have now shown they ‘stand with Rashford, not the 322’
- Some giants are involved in the move, including fast food franchise McDonald’s
- Nigella Lawson backed a campaign to provide free meals to vulnerable children
- Councils such as Southwark Council and Liverpool City Council also helping out
- And smaller firms such as Aubergine Cafe in the Wirral, launched their missions
Cafes, pubs and restaurants are offering free school meals for local children during half term after MPs rejected a campaign started by footballer Marcus Rashford.
A vote on the measures was backed by Labour and made its way to Parliament this week – but was defeated by 322 votes to 261.
Now dozens of hospitality businesses have shown they ‘stand with Rashford, not the 322’, by supporting families during the school holidays.
Some business giants are involved in the move, with McDonald’s set to deliver a million meals for children in the next few weeks.
Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson backed a campaign to provide free meals to vulnerable children, seeing it pass £35,000.
Councils including Redbridge Borough Council, Southwark Council, Hammersmith and Fulham Council and Liverpool City Council also said they would help out.
And smaller firms such as Aubergine Cafe in the Wirral, which is managed by Andrew Mahon and his wife May, have launched their own rescue missions for children.
Cafes, pubs and restaurants are offering free school meals for local children during half term after MPs rejected a campaign started by footballer Marcus Rashford (pictured visiting charity FareShare in Manchester today)
Now dozens of hospitality businesses have shown they ‘stand with Rashford, not the 322’, by supporting families during the school holidays. Pictured: Fiona Crump, owner of the Castle Beach Cafe in Falmouth
Chef Scott Cope prepares a sandwich at the Pudding Pantry in Nottingham. They will be making free lunch boxes during half term for children who would get a free school lunch
McDonald’s funding will enable charity FareShare to redistribute food to families who need it most in the coming weeks.
UK and Ireland CEO Paul Pomroy said: ‘As a business we are committed to supporting and serving the communities in which we operate.
‘In these challenging times, we know it’s more important than ever to support those most in need.
‘When we temporarily closed our restaurants in March, our people, franchisees and suppliers rallied to provide surplus food and support to food banks and charities.
‘We were pleased that we were able to donate surplus food through FareShare and other organisations earlier this year, and we admire the fantastic work that FareShare continues to do to support families facing very tough situations.
‘I am pleased to support the distribution of one million meals to the families most in need this Autumn, and I wish to thank and congratulate FareShare for everything they’re doing.’
FareShare CEO Lindsay Boswell added: ‘McDonalds is showing real leadership in supporting the most vulnerable in society to get access to healthy food at this critical time.
‘The funding will enable the equivalent of 1 million meals to be redistributed to our charity network very swiftly, and we are very grateful for their urgent support.’
Celebrity chef Ms Lawson announced she was supporting a fundraiser set up by comedian Katy Brand to provide free meals.
It has passed £35,000 and Ms Brand said she was now aiming for £50,000, with the proceeds going to the charities FareShare, the Trussell Trust and Magic Breakfast.
Ms Lawson tweeted: ‘It shouldn’t have to be this way, but it is more important to feed a hungry child than argue about how it’s done.
‘Or rather, donate if you can and then do what’s necessary to stop those who make children going hungry policy.’
It comes amid a difficult time for the hospitality industry, with many business owners struggling to cope with the effects of coronavirus restrictions on their trade.
Rashford, who was made an MBE after forcing a Government U-turn on free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays, said he was ‘blown away’ by the support.
The Manchester United footballer tweeted: ‘Selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know.
‘Add #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY to your tweets so I can track them. I will share as many as I can.’
Mr and Mrs Mahon from the Wirral are offering a free sandwich, cup of soup and piece of fruit to children over half term.
He said: ‘My wife and I, we saw the vote in Parliament. And we were a bit dumbstruck. It seems like such an own goal by Parliament.
‘They are talking about trying to balance the books, but you don’t do that by letting kids fall destitute in the middle of a national health emergency.’
Mr Mahon said for every request for help they have had, they have received more than 20 times as many offers of support, with people asking to donate money.
He said: ‘It’s very heartening. We weren’t expecting it.’
Chris Fletcher and Kerry Rossey are offering a free packed lunch at The Gingerbread House Cafe in Budleigh Salterton, Devon.
They have launched a GoFundMe page to cover the costs of providing the meals that has already raised more than £900.
Mr Fletcher said: ‘As parents ourselves we don’t believe any child should be hungry at any time.
‘We would like to offer a free child’s takeaway packed lunch which will include a sandwich, packet of crisps, piece of fruit and a carton of juice throughout half term.
‘We posted this on Facebook and have been overwhelmed with messages from businesses and local people wanting to donate to help us fund this.’
‘Thank you everyone for your support, we feel so proud to live in such an amazing community.
‘It has been absolutely mad. It has been really good to see how everyone has come together and how many people have got involved.’
Ms Crump said: ‘I didn’t know about Marcus Rashford sharing my post until someone and told me about it this morning’
Ozgur Babat, owner of the Portofino restaurant in Harrogate, which will be handing out free food boxes during half term
Mr Babat (pictured, one of the packages) will give them to any child who would normally get a free school lunch
Fiona Crump, 56, is the owner of the Castle Beach Cafe – a tiny eatery that operates out the back of a shipping container in Falmouth, Cornwall.
Marcus Rashford helps out at charity that feeds vulnerable children
England football star Marcus Rashford and his mother yesterday visited a food charity which is naming a new warehouse in her honour after MPs voted down his plan to provide free school meals during the holidays.
The pair’s visit to FareShare Greater Manchester came a day after a Labour motion for the meals scheme to be extended over school holidays until Easter 2021 was defeated in the House of Commons.
The campaign has been championed by Manchester United footballer Rashford, 22, who had called on people to ‘unite’ to protect the most vulnerable children after the vote.
Rashford visiting FareShare Greater Manchester at New Smithfield Market with his mother
Visiting FareShare with his mother Melanie, he said: ‘When we stumble, there will always be a community to wrap their arms around us and pick us back up.’
The football ace added that for many people this help will come from food banks staffed by ‘selfless’ volunteers who are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable.
Hours after visiting the FareShare warehouse, Rashford heaped praise on local groups, businesses and schools which have done their bit for children in local communities.
He forced a Government U-turn on free school meal vouchers over the summer holidays, and his petition urging the Government to go further in tackling child hunger hit 100,000 signatures just 10 hours after it was launched.
She said: ‘I didn’t know about Marcus Rashford sharing my post until someone and told me about it this morning.
‘I’m really angry that every one of the Cornish MPs voted against providing school meals and at the Government for their spending priorities.
‘I find that anger is useless unless you turn it into action and I wanted to do something with it.
‘I run a cafe so I thought what I can do is feed people. I’ll be making pack lunches like what children would usually take to school.
‘I have no idea how many I will be making – it could be two or it could be 2,000.’
Tony Dunn, 40, who owns the Rhubarb Shed Cafe in Sheffield, South Yorks., said it was ‘unconscionable’ to leave children hungry and was inspired by Rashford’s mission.
The father of three said it was paramount that communities came together as families have been struggling through the pandemic through ‘no fault of their own’.
His 60-seat café will offer children an option of a sandwich, cupcake or hot chocolate next Thursday and said they will keep serving food until they run out.
He said once they’ve run out they will find something else to cook up as ‘children should never go hungry’.
Mr Dunn, who has owned the café for ten years, said: ‘When I saw that the MPs voted against it I thought it was awful.
‘Children are completely innocent and they should never go hungry. It’s unconscionable to let something like this happen.
‘I’ve seen people say that parents on the dole should be feeding their children but our community was hit hard by this pandemic.
‘Many of the families who can’t afford food at the moment are people who have been working, but are now in a terrible situation through no fault of their own.
‘I think it’s just so important that as a community we come together and do every little bit we can.
‘Seeing Marcus Rashford fighting has inspired many people, and I’ve seen so many restaurants and cafes trying to help out in any way they can as a result.’
He added: ‘It’s sad that it took Rashford going through all of this for some change to happen but we must see the positives.
‘This is an incredible movement, and it’s great to see communities banding together.’
Mr Dunn, who runs the café with his wife Paula, 34, said he’s not a political person but that children going hungry ‘isn’t political’.
Alex Stephens, owner of the Farm Fresh Market in Watnall Nottingham, with some of the sandwiches and drinks they will be providing free to local school children
Warren O’Connor (left) and Andy Aston (right) of Warren’s Fruit and Veg at their Friday stall in the car park of Ye Olde Greene Manne in Northwood. They will be handing out free fruit and vegetables during half term for vulnerable children
Primary headteacher offers parents of pupils on free school meals £15 to feed their children over half-term
A primary headteacher has offered parents of pupils on free school meals £15 to feed their children over the half-term after MPs voted against extending the scheme during the holidays.
Marianne Allan, who runs Cambois Primary School in Northumberland, said she was stepping in after MPs voted against extending free meals over the holidays, despite the campaign from England hero Marcus Rashford.
Marianne Allan, who runs Cambois Primary School in Northumberland, said she was stepping in after MPs voted against extending free meals over the holidays, despite the campaign from England hero Marcus Rashford
The school has 88 pupils, more than half of whom are eligible for free school meals, and will be using money raised in donations for the foodbank that it also runs.
Mrs Allan said: ‘It is morally correct and it is the responsible thing to do. I was quite shocked how anybody could vote against feeding children.
‘We have a significant number of children who will be directly affected by this decision.’
She said parents were doing their best to provide for their children, but she was aware of some who had lost their job and had to wait six weeks for their universal credit to start.
Mrs Allan added that the local community and businesses were greatly supportive and that bakery giant Greggs helped the school run a breakfast club.
‘We have a trolley in each classroom and teachers make toast for the children,’ she said.
‘On Fridays they have a treat like a croissant, we give them fresh orange and fruit. Teachers are making them breakfast every single day and we are funded by Greggs to do that.’
He said: ‘My wife and I have been working here for ten years and we’re the least political people you’ll ever find.
‘But children going hungry isn’t political. It’s something that just shouldn’t happen.’
‘We can only do so much, but I think it’s so important that we lift people’s spirits as we’re going through incredibly difficult times.
‘We are going to be serving food until we run out and then we’ll get something else.’
London restaurant Group QOOT which owns brands by Chloe and The Lebanese Bakery said they would step in and offer free school meals for qualifying school children too.
The group of restaurants will offer a free main meal, side and drink before 1pm to school children on presentation of benefits document.
Scot Turner, QOOT Vice-President of Operations, said: ‘When the Covid crisis first hit, QOOT and many other operators in the hospitality industry ran initiatives aimed at helping those most in need.
‘While we continue to face unprecedented challenges, that commitment remains true, which is why we have been supporting Only a Pavement Away, to support London’s homeless and have now stepped up to pledge support for Marcus’s initiative with our London restaurants to offer free school meals, and urging our friends in the industry to get in touch and join us in supporting those children who are most vulnerable right now.
‘For all our customers we encourage them to sign the petition and for our fellow industry colleagues we urge you to register your interest.’
A number of councils have also said they will offer free school meals for vulnerable children.
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson said he would fund free school meals over half term, feeding approximately 19,800 children.
The council joins Liverpool FC and a host of local businesses who have offered help, food packs and meals to families struggling to put food on the table.
With the city now under Tier 3 lockdown restrictions and a lower government furlough in place, thousands more are in desperate straits.
Mayor Anderson said: ‘We’ve all seen Marcus Rashford’s campaign and I and my colleagues have all been really worried about kids going hungry in this city.’
He continued: ‘So today I am announcing that the council will stand by these kids and extend our own voucher scheme to make sure that 20,000 children will get the food they desperately need over the holiday.
‘Times are tough for this council and we have been hit hard, but we will never lose sight of how hard things are for people who are trying to make ends meet in this city and I’m proud to announce this support today.’
He added: ‘Hopefully this will make things a little bit easier for the families just trying to put food on their tables for their children in Liverpool.’
Labour-led Hammersmith and Fulham Council will give every pupil in need free school meal vouchers, equivalent to a £3 Tesco meal deal per day.
Food being prepared at the Portofino restaurant in Harrogate. They will be handing out free food boxes during half term for any child who would normally get a free school lunch
Ali Waterworth, with son Ruddi, founder of Ruddi’s Retreat in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, who will be offering a packed lunch for children
Council leader Stephen Cowan said watching the vote was ‘cutting’.
He said: ‘I have seen a lot of kids who need food. I was in a school on Tuesday speaking to kids who have the free lunches now and they were explaining they have gone for days without a proper meal.
‘They were very sweet kids, and then I looked at the MPs who were so callously indifferent to that and I thought, how can that be happening in the fifth richest country on Earth.
‘There are so many things they spend money on, it’s a moral imperative.’
School breakfasts will be also delivered over the break to 600 pupils across the borough most in need of help.
Southwark Council leader Kieron Williams said the Government ‘failed, so we are stepping up’.
The London council will reallocate funds to pay for free meals over half term.
Birmingham City Council said it will provide 61,000 children in the city with free school meals vouchers over the half-term.
Councillor Ian Ward, Labour leader of England’s largest local authority, said: ‘With the Government failing to come up with a plan for those families with children reliant on free school meals, through next week’s half-term, Birmingham City Council will step forward.’
He added: ‘There are some 61,000 children in Birmingham who receive free school meals.
‘So we will be ensuring they get provided with a voucher during the half-term next week.’
Manchester City Council followed suit. Councillor Garry Bridges said: ‘We stand with Marcus Rashford. No child should go hungry during the holidays.
‘In the absence of Government support to ensure this, the city council is stepping in to fund the provision of a free lunch for all qualifying children this half-term.
‘We’re working with our schools and have also put extra money into our welfare support to make sure families who need meals for their children can get them.’
