I’m getting individual permission from everyone sending me pics of their food boxes in my DMs to repost them here but without identifying information because I try to be responsible with this large platform and there are ~children~ involved here.
Disclaimer done, now get angry.
Bexleyheath.
Kent.
No location given for this one, but the contractor is Harrison in this case, not Chartwells.
2 slices of ham, three slices of cheese, one pear, one apple, two bags of crisps. For one child, for a WEEK. Are they meant to only eat on Tuesdays and Thursdays or something?!!! Also pictured, the Govt legislation on Free School Meals for comparison.
And this. I’ve had a LOT of these as well.
Cheshire. Again, compare this to the Department for Educations own legislation on free school meals provision.
Blackheath. Chartwells again. For a five year old for a week. Lettuce has basically no calories, it’s crunchy water fgs, what are they thinking?! Compare and contrast to the Dept of Educations own FSM legislation on food standards and provision for free school meals.
Slough. Compare and contrast this to the DofEs own legislation on free school meal standards. Seems to be an awful lot missing here. But apparently these are ‘isolated incidents’? Nah.
Again I have hundreds of messages to work through here, don’t let them tell you this is isolated, I’m hearing from staff at the catering companies that this is STANDARD. #BringBackTheVouchers#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY
And another one. Two slices of clingfilmed ham. Half a piece of fruit and a fifth of a can of beans a day?!!!! Again compare to the DofE legislation on free school meals. #BringBackTheVouchers#ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY
And other one. This is for two twelve year olds for a week.
Hi all. I’ve been sent LOTS of photos of the food parcels that have replaced the £30 vouchers and asked what I would do with them. I’m replying with advice privately because to do so publicly would look like justifying these ill thought through, offensively meagre scraps /1.
There seems to be a prevalent train of thought that if you’re in poverty you should be ‘grateful’ for anything you get. I have spent the last seven years giving talks to various organisations and conferences and political parties urging them to put DIGNITY AND ACTIVE LISTENING /2
at the core of all of their work. Nothing about us without us. Ask people what their needs are, respond accordingly. Don’t be a Marie Antoinette or worse, a sneering Scrooge. People in difficult situations are PEOPLE, no less ‘deserving’ of a good meal than anyone else. /3