London council declares ‘war on hunger’ among students

Hungry children in several schools in the British capital will be offered free meals as a local council declare a war on food poverty in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

News ID: 445309

Date: 09 June 2019 - 12:31

RNA - The council in Hammersmith and Fulham said on Saturday that children in schools in the area will be given free breakfast and lunch once the new term starts in autumn.

The pilot scheme is the first in the recent history of England and Wales as poverty surges in the United Kingdom, a country where some five million children are believed to be suffering from some forms of hunger.

“We must put an end to that. Our schools are now the frontline in our war against hunger,” said Council leader Stephen Cowan, adding, “It’s appalling that children are still going to school hungry in one of the world’s wealthiest capitals.”

The council said it has raised the budget needed for the scheme through extra money collected from increased fees on some of its other services.

Children across the UK have been battling some extreme forms of food poverty over the past years, especially since the Conservative-led government embarked upon a series of austerity measures when it came to power in 2010.

Reports last year suggested that students in a school in northwest England were eating from garbage bins while others avoided bringing their home food to the schools because they were shy about it.

The United Nations has confirmed that some 14 million people, around a fifth of the UK population, are living in poverty. It has blamed government policies for the surge in poverty, saying recurrent cuts and a signature social care program have intensified the problem.

847/940