Primary pupils will be saying a big thank you to their school caterers today

Primary school pupils will be busy making and giving thank you cards today. This is the last event of National School Meals Week (NSMW). The cards are available to download at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk. There are six to choose from with three for Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum and another three for Key Stage 2. And there is a lesson plan so making the cards can be done in class. Pupils can colour in the cards, add messages, tell the school caterers their favourite meal and make each one personal. When the cards have been created a pupil can digitally photograph the card and display it in the online gallery. They can also give the cards to the catering staff so they can be displayed in the dining rooms. The school caterers can also say thank you by awarding special certificates that can be downloaded at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA, said, "I think it is really important that we say thank you to the many thousands of school caterers that work so hard to prepare healthy school meals. There has been a huge change in recent years as we have moved to freshly prepared and locally sourced food. The idea of pupils saying thank you by making cards is a brilliant one and there are already some in the gallery online. I just love the comments like - To the best school cooks in the world. I am sure there will be lots of children displaying their certificates in their bedrooms and showing them off to friends and family".

Arnold Fewell, Managing Director of AVF Marketing, who is organising the week for LACA, said, "There have been so many different things happening during the week. For example the 100th authority/school to sign up for National School Meals Week was Solutions SK in Stockport. Anna Lambert, their Marketing Manager has been asking children in Stockport to tell them what their favourite school meal is. Stockport's favourite meal will be cooked in all schools today. Their suppliers have donated some great prizes, from a flying lesson to mobile phones and iPods. The team will be out and about during the week to give out the prizes. In Hampshire they have given the day a slightly different twist. They are giving out special NSMW stickers to say thank you to their customers. Each authority can do their own thing so lots of things are going on. Over 90 authorities have taken part to make this the biggest NSMW ever. My thanks go out to everyone involved.