8:00am Thursday 14th January 2010
By Martin George
A campaign for greener, healthier Kingston school dinners moved forward this week, as a working group of parents, teachers, campaigners and the council met for first time ahead of a new contract next year.
Currently, 19 per cent of Kingston primary school students eat school meals, and campaign group School Food Matters is calling for investment in school kitchens and using local food from sustainable sources.
The January 12 meeting coincided with national research showing only 1 per cent of packed lunches meet the Government’s nutritional standards for school dinners.
Campaign director Stephanie Wood said: “We are going to do site visits and see other boroughs that have improved their school meals. The take up in Kingston is very low so the local authority is very keen to do some work.”
A council spokesman said: “The council has been successful in bidding for funds from the Government to build new kitchens and the new provision will use this resource in the most effective way. There will be ongoing opportunities for wider groups to have a say in this future provision.”
What do you think? Tell us at surreycomet.co.u/news
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.kingstonguardian.co.uk