NSMW Press Releases

Students from Easingwold School get to taste the porridge meal eaten every day by half a million other children in 16 countries

Tue, 08 Nov 2011

Students from award winning Easingwold School, near York, will hear all about the work of Mary’s Meals at an assembly on Thursday 10^th November as part of LACA’s (Local Authority Caterers Association) National School Meals Week (NSMW). Mary’s Meals is the international charity that runs school feeding programmes in some of the world’s poorest countries.

They will also have the opportunity to try the nutritious porridge that Mary’s Meals feeds to more than half a million children in 16 countries around the world every day, including Malawi, Haiti and Liberia. Mary’s Meals has recently been delivering 200 tonnes of emergency food aid to famine-hit Somalia as part of its response to the East Africa crisis.

During the assembly Bob Davies, Catering Manager will be presented with his award, Secondary School Caterer of the Year, from EDUcatering magazine by Managing Director, Alan Dewberry.

NSMW is one of the largest healthy eating promotions that is taking place in nearly 20,000 schools across the country from 7^th to 11^th November. There are different themes each day and the aim of today is to show how lucky students are to have the choice of a healthy and nutritious meal at school each day. This is in contrast with children across the other side of the world that are coming to school not just to learn but to have their only meal of the day and so ward off hunger.

Lynda Mitchell, National Chair of LACA, said “I am delighted that LACA is working very closely with Mary’s Meals and our partner Change4Life today. I know that some schools are raising money for the charity while others have downloaded the quizzes created by Change4Life. They are all helping to create a whole school approach to help students understand the needs of five-a-day. This must be a great way forward for all schools”

Mrs Carey Chidwick, Head Teacher at Easingwold School, added, ““I am delighted to welcome the NSMW Tour to Easingwold School. This is an important opportunity for our students to listen to someone working closely about the issues facing other parts of the world. We are fortunate that we are able to provide good nutritious meals here and we focus on driving home the messages about healthy eating and giving our students the very best start in life.

Tony Begley, Education Co-ordinator at Mary’s Meals, explained, “We are very grateful for this opportunity to promote the work of Mary’s Meals at Easingwold School and, thanks to LACA, across the country. Mary’s Meals is a simple idea that works. By providing a daily meal at school, chronically poor children are attracted to the classroom where, through education, they can escape poverty and gain a better future for themselves and their communities. During National School Meals Week, we hope to give our young people an insight into the lives of the children fed by Mary’s Meals, so that they can come to appreciate how fortunate they are to have access to good food, particularly fruit and vegetables, which are so important for a healthy and balanced diet.”

Keith Tillbrook, Head of North Yorkshire County Caterers, commented, “We are very proud of Bob and the awards he has won. He is a fantastic example to other school caterers and provides outstanding food that students enjoy from one day to another.”

Bob Davies, Secondary School Caterer of the Year, said, “We have a lot planned to celebrate NSMW and increase awareness of the importance of having five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. There is a healthy eating display in the dining room, lots of healthy dishes to eat, a display about Mary’s Meals and buckets by the till for people to drop change in. This will be given to Mary’s Meals.”

Top Chef from the Academy of Culinary Arts to visit Cheswick Green Primary School in Solihull

Mon, 07 Nov 2011

During LACA’s (Local Authority Caterers Association) National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2011 Cheswick Green Primary School, Solihull will have a visit from celebrity chef Idris Caldora (from the Academy of Culinary Arts) as part of ‘Get Creating Day’ on Wednesday 9^th November.

During the morning the children will be learning about food from Idris whilst he does a presentation about the five food groups and how we need to eat them as part of a balanced diet. Idris will then work with the pupils on preparing a salad as well as teaching them about using knives safely. A similar salad will be part of the school lunch that day.

NSMW is one of the largest healthy eating promotions and it will be taking place in nearly 20,000 schools across the country between 7^th to 11^th November. There are different themes for each day and the aim is to show how versatile and tasty food can be. The visit to Cheswick Green Primary School has been organised with the support of the Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt-a-School programme.

Lynda Mitchell, National Chair, LACA, said “I am delighted that LACA is working very closely with the Academy of Culinary Arts and bringing in one of their Celebrity Chefs as part of Get Creating. It is so important that we teach young people about how to prepare and taste food as well as teaching them to use knives safely”.

Miss Carol Mason, Headteacher at Cheswick Green Primary School in Solihull, commented, “I believe the children will enjoy the unique opportunity of working with Idris. It will enhance their learning about the enjoyment of food, the safe preparation of vegetables and working together as a team to make a special salad. NSMW is a fantastic week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate School Meals. We will also download the resources and continue to use them throughout the year”.

Carrieanne Bishop, Head of Catering inSolihull, said “We have really got behind NSMW as it gives schools so many different opportunities to work with us and promote healthy food to young people. We believe that a whole school approach to this subject makes a real difference to what young people learn about food.”

Idris Caldora, from the Academy of Culinary Arts added, “My work takes me into lots of schools across the Midlandsand I am always faced by interested young people wanting to learn more. It is wonderful to see how their attitudes change during and by the end of the session. Pupils are then far more likely to try new foods and so understand the healthy eating messages that will be so important in later life.”

NEW POLL SHOWS RECENT CHANGES TO SCHOOL MEALS GET THUMBS UP FROM 89% OF PARENTS

Mon, 07 Nov 2011

Research conducted by LACA and ParentPay, published at the start of National School Meals Week 2011, shows that after six years of funding to improve standards, 89% of parents are satisfied with their child’s school meals.

More than 10,000 parents were questioned in the biggest poll of its kind to coincide with National School Meals Week which also launches today (Monday 7 November). The Survey also found that the majority of parents have become more nutritionally savvy and eager to keep tabs on their children’s diet indicating that Government health and nutritional guidance is paying off.

However, with dedicated funding for school meals under threat, and the exemption of Academy and Free Schools from the nutritional standards, the Government could face a backlash from parents as the hard work of school caterers is undone by a lack of finances and a policy shift.

The poll also revealed:

96 per cent want children to learn to cook at school
81 per cent want to be able to pay for school meals online
15 per cent of those entitled to free school meals are not eating them
80 per cent of parents said they wanted more information about what their children had for lunch

Commenting on the findings, Clint Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, ParentPay said: “It is interesting to see the number of parents who want to pay online. 94% of parents find online payment easy but they were also pleased it helped reduce bullying, With some caterers reporting up to half of what’s handed over the breakfast table for school meals never reaches school, 58% of parents said they paid online to stop money being spent on the high street ensuring their child received a healthy school meal”

Lynda Mitchell, LACA National Chair said: “Winning over hearts, minds and bodies in the drive to reduce obesity and build healthier lifestyles calls for a united front. In terms of improving the health and lifestyles of children and young people, we are all in this together. It is great, therefore, to see parent power playing its part behind the scenes. School caterers want to work in partnership with parents and their children’s schools as well as education and health professionals to ensure we can continue to provide good, nutritious food from which children and young people can benefit, both academically and physically”.

Adding her views on this latest research, Sharon Hodgson, Shadow Minister for Children and Families says: “The report highlights some positives, including that parents are increasingly aware that school meals are of good quality and provide a nutritionally balanced meal for their children. However, clearly more needs to be done to ensure that those who are eligible for free school meals take up their entitlement, both by finding ways of removing the stigma many still associate with it, and making sure that parents are aware of the impact that a good lunch can have on a young person’s ability to concentrate and learn in class, and on their health.”

Running from Monday 7 November to Friday 11 November, National School Meals Week features different themes for each day. Monday (Get Eating) is an invitation for local politicians, celebrities, media and sports people to have a school meal as part of Britain’s Biggest School Lunch. Tuesday (Get Travelling) is about going global and encouraging pupils to learn about food from around the world. Wednesday (Get Creating) encourages pupils to have fun with food. Thursday (Get 5-a-day) is supported by Change4Life and linked with the charity Mary’s Meals who provide food for children in developing countries. Friday (Get Remembering) will feature an interview with Falklands War hero Simon Weston about the importance of the 11th day of the 11th month and what it stands for.

Offering her best wishes to LACA for a successful National School Meals Week, Sarah Teather, Minister of State (Children and Families) said: “Healthy school meals help make sure that pupils are well nourished, develop healthy eating habits and concentrate and learn in school. Every day, LACA members do an amazing job in helping over 3 million pupils across the country enjoy a tasty, nutritious school meal. Although I am not able to attend one of the National School Meals Week events, I congratulate LACA, and the local authorities involved, on a wonderful week of activities and hope that more and more pupils enjoy eating a healthy school meal".

Contact: LACA Press Office

Hazel Fancy

T: 01932 253184

M: 07950 007169

E: HaGreen7@aol.com

Worlebury St Pauls Church of England VA Primary School puts fun on the menu as part of Get Travelling Day

Mon, 07 Nov 2011

Worlebury St Paul's Church of England V.A. Primary School in Weston-super-Mare is going all Chinese as part of Get Travelling Day on Tuesday 8th November during LACA’s (Local Authority Caterers Association) National School Meals Week (NSMW). This day is supported by Bernard Matthews Foodservice.

During the day children will be learning about China, completing activity sheets, playing a game of Chinese snap and decorating the dining hall for lunch with the help of a team from Bernard Mathews Foodservice.

NSMW is one of the largest school meals promotions that is taking place in nearly 20,000 schools across the country from 7th to 11th November. There are different themes each day and for Get Travelling Day there are five different country menus that school caterers can create today. They are from China, Italy, Mexico, India and the UK.

Lynda Mitchell, National Chair of LACA, said “This is a really great, healthy and fun day that everyone at the school can get involved with. The children are having a fancy dress competition where they can win jigsaws and certificates. I think it is really important to put fun onto the school menu on a regular basis to maintain the interest and appetites of pupils. If young people enjoy their food they are far more likely to adopt the healthy lifestyle messages they receive at school and so benefit themselves and the future budgets of the NHS.”

Mrs Gillian Quick, Head Teacher at Worlebury St Paul's Church of England V.A. Primary School, explained, “The pupils are getting very excited about the day and they are looking forward to it immensely. Everyone is delighted by the visit especially as it supports all our curriculum work. I think it is fantastic that LACA provide all these resources free of charge to schools.”

Chris Walkden, National Account Manager from Bernard Matthews Foodservice, commented, “Turkey is so versatile it can be used in all the recipes which have been created for Get Travelling Day. Our Big Green Tick range of turkey products for schools have been developed to help caterers create menus which meet the food and nutrient based standards whilst appealing to children. With turkey breast being naturally low in fat and saturated fat it can play an important role in creating tasty and nutritious meals that children can enjoy all year round. In addition to the turkey recipes for schools Celebrity Chef, Marco Pierre White has created some tasty turkey recipes which are perfect for families and these can be downloaded at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk/community/recipe-book .

Russ Templeman, Contracts Manager, Edwards and Ward, added, “As a caterer we work closely with schools to create interesting and delicious meals that we know pupils will enjoy. All our recipes use local and fresh ingredients so we are always supporting the local community. We are delighted that this year’s NSMW Tour is calling in at one of our contracts in North Somerset and I am certain that everyone will have a fantastic day.”

LACA joins forces with ParentPay to launch new parents survey to mark National School Meals Week 2011

Thu, 03 Nov 2011

PRESS LAUNCH DATE: Monday 7 November 2011
Event: Launch of new LACA/ParentPay Survey/National School Meals Week 2011
Venue: St Clement Danes C of E Primary School, Drury Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5SU
Time: 8.30 – 9.00 a.m.
Contact: Hazel Fancy
Mobile: 07950 007169

The results of a new Survey of over 10,000 parents on the subject of school catering and school food, probably the largest ever conducted, will be published on Monday 7 November, the first day of LACA’s National School Meals Week 2011 (7-11 November). The Week is organised annually by LACA (formerly the Local Authority Caterers Association). The Survey was jointly conducted by LACA, the nation’s largest network of school meal providers and ParentPay, providers of school online payment and meal administration systems.

Amongst the findings, parents’ attitudes are showing a marked reversal of past trends perhaps indicating that some of the Government’s public health and nutritional guidance over the last few years may well be paying off. The Survey shows that the majority of parents appear to have become more nutritionally savvy and not only eager to keep a watchful eye but also to take an active interest in or, even some control over, what their children are eating both in and out of school.

The Survey findings turn popular perceptions on their head about parents’ attitudes and concerns about the diets and lifestyles of children and young people as well as their views on school meals. All of the findings will be revealed at a National Media Launch on Monday 7 November at a Primary School in Central London.

The event will be hosted by:

Sharon Hodgson MP, Shadow Minister for Children & Families/ Parliamentary working group on school food¹
Lynda Mitchell, National Chair, LACA
Clint Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, ParentPay
Arnold Fewell, Author of the LACA/ParentPay Research Report

- ends -

Contact: Hazel Fancy, LACA Press Office.
T: 01932 253184
M: 07950 007169

3 November 2011

Note to Editors:

¹ Sharon Hodgson has been instrumental in developing a Parliamentary working group on school food, involving cross party MPs and industry stakeholders.

• The press release on the findings of the LACA/ParentPay Survey 2011 (embargoed for publication/broadcast until 00.01 on Mon 7 November) will be available p.m. on 3 November.

LACA/ParentPay market research results to be announced on 7th November

Fri, 23 Sep 2011

LACA (Local Authority Caterers Association) is currently undertaking market research with one of its key supplier partner's ParentPay as part of this year's National School Meals Week (NSMW). NSMW is organised annually by LACA and is taking place from 7th to 11th November 2011. It is one of the biggest healthy eating campaigns and promotes the nutritional benefits of having a school meal at lunchtime. More information about the week can be found at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk.

ParentPay provides a range of online payment solutions for schools including the ability to pay for school meals, school trips and uniforms. LACA is the leading professional body representing the interests of over 1200 school caterers, foodservice contractors and suppliers.

The LACA/ParentPay research will cover parents in England and Wales with children at both Primary and Secondary School including those parents who pay online, and those that are entitled to a free school meal. The results will be analysed independently by AVF Marketing as they have extensive experience of undertaking research projects of this nature. AVF marketing is also organising National School Meals Week for LACA. The results will show the national results and include the breakdown of figures into TV regions.

The survey already has over eight thousand responses already. This makes it one of the biggest surveys of its type and centres on parents' attitudes to school meals and healthy eating. The questions include: how often do you have chips; how happy are you with the quality of school meals; what information parents want about school meals and how they want to receive it; how many parents want their child to learn to cook at school; how many portions of fruit and vegetables their child had yesterday; how many parents are concerned about the weight of their child; and why those entitled to a free school meal are not taking up their entitlement. The results will be published on 7th November at the start of National School Meals Week.

Lynda Mitchell, the new Chair of LACA, said, "This is a very important and significant piece of research and will provide useful and important information for school caterers and all those working to improve the health of young people. I am not aware of a piece of research targeted at parents that has had such a high level of participation. I believe the final number of responses will be about ten thousand".

Clint Wilson, Chief Executive Officer for ParentPay, added, "We are delighted to help LACA collect this information via our database of parents who use our system to pay for a variety of school activities such as school meals, uniforms and trips. I believe one can never know too much about your customers and that is why I believe the research is so important for all those that are concerned about the lifestyles of young people".

For more information about the research and to receive a copy of the results on 7th November or to receive an invitation to the launch of the results please contact the author of the report, Arnold Fewell, at arnold@avfmarketing.co.uk.

For information about LACA please contact Hazel Fancy, LACA Press Office, on 01932 253 1840 or 07950 007169.

LACA's National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2011 dates announced

Fri, 20 May 2011

The Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) has announced that NSMW will take place from Monday 7th to Friday 11th November. The key theme of the week is to promote healthy and nutritious school meals to parents, pupils, teachers and governors across England and Wales.
Each day has a different theme, they are: Monday Get Eating as part of Britain's Biggest School Lunch; Tuesday is Get Travelling where pupils can learn about food from different countries; on Wednesday it is Get Creating when pupils and students are encouraged to be creative with food; Thursday is Get 5-a-Day and we will be explaining the importance of fruit and vegetables as part of a balanced diet, Friday is Get Remembering when young people turn their minds to all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It is also a reminder about how school meals for all were first introduced to combat malnutrition in war time.

Two sponsors have been confirmed to enhance the week's activities. Dolmio will support Get Eating and Britain's Biggest School Lunch. All Dolmio sauce recipes have been recently developed to be compliant with the strict school guidelines. They are now all RD salt compliant for 2012, are free from artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives, the range is also gluten free with no GM ingredients or MSG, and no nuts or peanuts are used as ingredients. All sauces are also HFA approved for Halal diets.

Tuesday's Get Travelling Day is being sponsored by Bernard Matthews Foodservice. Their Big Green Tick range of British turkey products ticks all the right boxes for schools. The range has been developed in conjunction with LEA's and schools to help caterers create menus that meet food and nutrient based standards, whilst appealing to children.

Sandra Russell, Chairman of LACA, said "A new twist for 2011 is the NSMW Tour. A themed event will take place in a different location each day starting in London on the Monday and ending in the North West on the Friday. I urge more schools to take part as the resources are available to download free from the website from July onwards. Schools and caterers will be able to register to take part in the week from Wednesday 6th July when the website will be launched at the annual LACA Conference. In the last two years we have seen over 16,000 schools take part and this makes it the biggest healthy eating event in the country and our research shows that sales can be increased by over 6%".

Sarah Gray, National Account Manager from Dolmio said, "NSMW is a very important event in the school calendar for several reasons. It encourages more children to have a healthy meal at lunch time and this helps young people regenerate their batteries for afternoon lessons. Pasta is a great energy food and is very popular when served with one of our delicious Dolmio sauces. Last year these sauces were reformulated so they comply with all the nutritional standards set out by the Government".

Chris Walkden, National Account Manager, Bernard Matthews Foodservice, added, "Our Big Green Tick Turkey Thigh Mince, Diced Turkey Thigh and ready to eat Turkey Breast Chunks are very popular with schools as they are low in saturated fat and extremely versatile. They can provide a protein base for dishes from around the world, from curries to chilli. This is why we are delighted to take part in the Get Travelling Day. We will be providing a range of recipe ideas, developed by our home economist to meet the food and nutrient based standards, that caterers can use on the day and then incorporate into their Autumn menus. Bernard Matthews Foodservice totally supports the aim of LACA's NSMW and I am sure this year will be bigger and better than ever".

There will be lots of happy faces about today as pupils Get Giggling during school lunchtime

Fri, 12 Nov 2010

Pupils and students will have fun on the menu today as they enjoy a healthy and delicious school meal as part of National School Meals Week (NSMW). They can download fun food masks to hide behind, they can colour one in or make their own.

Online at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk children will be telling their own jokes and in some schools they will be having fun theme days. The Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) has been organising NSMW since 1993 and it is one of the biggest healthy eating promotions in the country. The week is supported by the Partners of LACA who are the major suppliers of food and drink to school caterers in the UK".

Organiser of the week for LACA is Arnold Fewell. Arnold is Managing Director of AVF Marketing, he said, "This week has been a huge success with more authorities and schools taking part than ever before. Extra marketing materials have been downloaded this year and lots of people have visited the website at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk. School meals now meet strict nutritional standards and have changed for the better in recent years. They are an important part of the whole school day and play a vital role in educating young people about the role of healthy eating and having a balance between the right food and taking regular exercise. These are life skills that will stay with young people for all their life and this
is why NSMW is such an important week in the school year".

Irene Carroll, former Chair of LACA, added, "I must say thank you from LACA for all the hard work and enthusiasm that school caterers, teachers and pupils across the country have put into the week. The support has been fantastic by both members and non members of LACA. I have heard and read about everything that is going on and I think this has been the biggest and best NSMW we have ever had. Now this week is over we start planning for next year and that week will take place from 7th to 11th November 2011".

On 11th November young people are encouraged to Get Remembering

Thu, 11 Nov 2010

On 11th November young people are encouraged to Get Remembering as part of National School Meals Week.

Young people across the country will be encouraged to think about those people that have given their life or been injured during a war. This is part of Get Remembering Day during National School Meals Week (NSMW). As part of the day teachers can download an assembly plus videos of people remembering what they had to eat in school during the Second World War. There are also recipes from that time that can be downloaded.

Former Chair of LACA, Irene Carroll, said, "I think it is vitally important that young people learn about conflicts that have taken place in recent times and understand the ultimate sacrifice so many people have made. This day gives them a chance to do just that. It is fascinating to hear on the video people's memories about their school lunches. Puddings have fond memories but semolina does not appear quite so popular. Main courses included corned beef with vegetables that were grown locally. Some remember growing vegetables at home and one tells the story of
catching frogs at threepence in old currency so that they would keep the flies away".

Alison Sweeney, from the London Borough of Redbridge Food in School Team, added "War results in tragedy and sacrifice on both sides. It is very sad that today there are so many conflicts still going on across the world. We can't forget or ignore these things. I think the resources that LACA has made available for the day are excellent and we will certainly be using them. They give us the opportunity to explain to children what it was like in World War 2 and the types of food people had to eat. Food was scarce and rationing was in progress and these are concepts that young people find difficult to fully understand. We often take full supermarket shelves for granted".

NSMW is one of the largest healthy eating promotions in the Country and more information can be found at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk.

LACA calls on pupils to Get Dancing as part of National School Meals Week

Wed, 10 Nov 2010

The Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) is encouraging pupils and students to Get Dancing on the Wednesday of National School Meals Week (NSMW). LACA has created an online video that shows youth dance teacher, Hannah Bayston, demonstrating a dance routine in easy stages for pupils and students to learn. The idea is to encourage young people to dance as a way of taking regular exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Sandra Russell, Chair of LACA, said, "We have included an assembly for teachers so that they can build in the dance video to a whole school day. The music is copyright free so it can be played without cost as often as required and I hope that dancing will build up people's appetites for a delicious, healthy school meal".

Hannah Bayston, youth dance teacher, added, "Dancing is a great way to exercise because it is so much fun and has lots of other benefits. It can help us meet other people and it gives you excellent poise and more confidence. The dance routine is split down into simple stages so you can practice and build it up over time. You can also add in your own moves or make other ones with a group of friends. I am delighted with the way the video has come out and I hope it will inspire lots of young people all over the country".

The Food in Schools Team in the London Borough of Redbridge are really looking forward to Get Dancing Day as they have organised an extra special event for one of their schools. Manford Primary School will be running a full day dance workshop with professional hip hop dancer, Christina Ibironke from Blue Boy entertainment.

Christina Ibironke, Hip Hop Dancer from Dancestreet said "I am delighted to get involved with National School Meals Week as I think it is vital that children and young people understand the importance of exercise whilst eating a healthy and balanced diet. My school dance workshops are fun for children of all ages and a great way to demonstrate that exercise doesn't have to be a chore. I am sure the pupils at Manford School will have a
fantastic day and I look forward to working with them".

Chewton Glen is helping National School Meals Week as it Gets Supporting schools today.

Tue, 09 Nov 2010

The hotel has combined with the Local Authority Caterers Association to create two onlinevideos and an assembly for teachers. The materials that can be found at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk help pupils learn how to make a fruit smoothie and lay up a table for different courses. The videos are hosted by Alastair Philips, Assistant Restaurant Manager, at Chewton Glen.

Alastair said, "I often visit schools or welcome pupils to the hotel. I am very keen to stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle but making sure it is fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. I believe it is vital that we encourage young people to have an interest in good quality, healthy food. If we can inspire them at an early age at school they will develop life skills that will help them for many years ahead and they might eventually work in the hotel
industry".

Richard Ware who is Head of CCS the catering service in Cambridgeshire, added, "We are working with the Hotel Du Vin in Cambridge and a group of children from St Albans Primary School is visiting the hotel. Before the week there is a competition to create a special dish and the winning dish will be cooked at the hotel on the morning of Tuesday 9th November. The pupils will meet the Head Chef and have a chance to ask him questions. They will then meet Emma, the Bistro Manager and be shown how to lay up a table. Then Dave, the Bar Manager, will make some healthy smoothies for the pupils to try. After all that the Chef and Bistro Manager will walk back to school and help serve a school lunch. I must say a thank
you to everyone at the Hotel du Vin for all their help, they have been brilliant and I know the children will learn and experience a great deal".

In Chester a party of pupils from The Arches Community Primary School in Blacon will attend The Coach House in Northgate Street. During their visit they will hear about the importance of a balanced diet, be shown how to set a table, make a delicious fruit cocktail and given some cookery tips by head chef, James Cooke.

Afterwards the pupils will be treated to the The Coach House version of a school lunch cooked by James.

Sally Williamson the children's teacher said, "We believe that by teaching young people about food and other aspects of the catering industry it will give them an interest in food that lasts a lifetime. This is vital in our efforts to encourage young people to lead healthy and active lifestyles. The pupils are really excited about their visit to The Coach House as it's a different way of learning for them."

Neil Owens, Director at the Coach House, said, "We are very pleased at being able to support National School Meals Week in this way after all there is no such thing as junk food but you can have a junk diet so educating our young people in the importance of balance in their diet and exercise is vital for us all"

The Shadow Minister for Education Launches National School Meals Week (NSMW)

Mon, 08 Nov 2010

The Shadow Minister for Education, Sharon Hodgson MP, will launch NSMW at Hall Mead School, Marlborough Road, Upminster, on Monday 8th November at 10.45am.

NSMW is organised by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) to promote healthy and nutritious school meals to parents, teachers and children across England and Wales. It has been running since 1993 and this year has more authorities and schools taking part than ever before. LACA estimates that about 17,000 schools will be adopting at least one of the five themes during the week.

The week will run until Friday 12th November and there is more information at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk

The five themes for the week are: Get Eating on Monday with Britain's Biggest School Lunch; Get Supporting Day on Tuesday 9th where hotels, restaurants and pubs can work with schools to generate a greater interest in food. Schools can also download videos filmed at Chewton Glen that show children how to make a healthy fruit smoothie and lay up a table in their restaurant. On Wednesday it is Get Dancing Day when pupils can watch youth dance teacher Hannah Bayston create a dance routine that will build up an appetite for a school lunch; Thursday is Remembrance
Day when pupils will be able to hear memories from people that had a school meal in the 1940s and see recipes from that time; the week ends with Get Giggling Day when pupils can download food masks or make their own and fun is the order of the day
.
Sharon Hodgson, said, "School meals are a very important part of the whole school day and I admire the work that all LACA members do in providing hot and nutritious meals that meet the high standards that were set down by the Labour Government. I hope that everyone will get behind this week and enjoy it; it's a great opportunity for all schools to promote healthy eating in a variety of fun and enjoyable ways, and I am delighted to hear that more local authorities, foodservice contractors and schools are taking part this year than ever before. Too many children are not
getting hot, healthy meals at school or home for a variety of reasons, storing up health problems for the future. So I also hope that activities this week can help increase take‐up of school meals, particularly where children are entitled to receive them for free."

Sandra Russell, Chair of LACA, added, "National School Meals Week has been held and organised by LACA since 1993 and is one of the biggest healthy eating promotions in the country. We have nearly 100 local authorities registered online so this will make it the biggest yet and our 1200 members have all sorts of promotions and activities planned. I wish them every success with the week and I am sure that even more young people will be enjoying a school meal in the months ahead. School meals play a vital part in the whole school day and I must thank all the Headteachers
that give us such fantastic support. Where school caterers have good engagement with a Headteacher there is a thriving service that brings real benefit to everyone in the school".

After the official launch students will be taking part in a dance Masterclass with street dancers Peridot who nearly made it to the final of Britain's Got Talent. Once they have built up an appetite the students will enjoy a healthy lunch of pasta Bolognese served by Papa Dolmio from Mars Foodservice who is supporting the day. Schools across the country will be serving a healthy lunch to their visitors as part of Britain's Biggest School Lunch. MPs, local celebrities and personalities will be going into schools to spread the vital healthy eating messages that can impact on a child
for life.

Kerry Leigh, one of the UK's top Laughologists will be talking to local school caterers in the afternoon about how they can use laughter to alter their attitudes from negative to positive. Kerry will also show the Friday NSMW, fun, online video that has a very serious message. It introduces Major Savings, Will Power and Mrs Bee Positive who has to deal with large cuts to her catering budget. Instead of despair and gloom Mrs Bee Positive learns to flip her behaviour so that the job gets done.

National School Meals Week (NSMW) launches its 2010 website

Wed, 07 Jul 2010

The Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) is launching the plans for National School Meals Week today at its AGM in Birmingham via the website www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk. The week is taking place from 8th to 12th November 2010 and is encouraging local authorities and schools to "Get involved" by promoting healthy school meals to parents, pupils, students, teachers and governors.

Each day has a different theme, they are: Monday Get Eating as part of Britain's Biggest School Lunch; Tuesday is Get Supporting where LACA is working with Caterer and Hotelkeeper Magazine to encourage the hotel and catering industry to work with school caterers to give young people a greater interest in healthy food; on Wednesday it is Get Dancing when pupils and students are encouraged to have fun taking exercise with the latest street dances; Thursday is Remembrance Day when young people turn their minds to all those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, it is also a reminder about how school meals for all were first introduced to combat malnutrition in war time; on Friday it is Get Giggling Day where school caterers will be putting fun onto the healthy eating menus.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA said, "NSMW in 2009 was the biggest and best yet with an estimated 16,000 schools taking part. I think this year's activities are even better because each of them can be used in either a Secondary or Primary School. School meals must play a key role in fighting the obesity epidemic that is facing today's younger generation".

Sandra Russell, incoming Chair of LACA said, "Moving to a digital campaign last year was the right move. Once an authority or school has registered to take part there are lots of downloads that will help them organise their events. There are menu posters, recipe ideas, invitations, a how to guide, planning sheet, face masks and much more. I firmly believe that NSMW makes good business sense as last year the average increase in sales from those that saw an increase in numbers was 7.8%.

For more information about the week or pictures from last year's NSMW please contact Arnold Fewell on 01609 775686 or arnold@avfmarketing.co.uk.

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

Fri, 13 Nov 2009

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.

Students encouraged to make advert about healthy eating

Thu, 12 Nov 2009

Secondary school and college students can win up to £350 in a competition that is organised by LACA as part of National School Meals Week (NSMW). All students have to do is make a 15 to 30 second commercial that promotes healthy eating to their friends and colleagues. This is all part of National School Meals Week (NSMW) that aims to encourage more young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle as part of a whole school approach.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA, commented, "Students know what they want and they have strong and important opinions. They are our customers and we need to listen to them. I hope this competition allows them an opportunity to be creative and that we get lots of ideas on how we can engage more closely with young people across the country. The adverts will be judged by an independent TV producer and I am really looking forward to watching them. There is a runner up prize of £250 plus five more at £100".

Karen Fewell, Digital Marketing Consultant at InDzine, who helped organise the week, said, "There is a lot of help and advice at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk. This can be turned into a lesson plan for different parts of the National Curriculum. Or students can work in their own time. People can get my advice in my online video and in the help section I talk about AIDA. This is an important marketing acronym that stands for: attention; interest; desire; action. If students can achieve this they have a good chance in the competition. We have created an example advert for Primary schools that can be watched online. I am really looking forward to seeing the results".

Colin Jackson is getting active as he promotes the importance of exercise

Wed, 11 Nov 2009

Colin Jackson is online today at www.ilovescholmeals.co.uk as he encourages Secondary School students to get active. He wants students to watch his video demonstrations at home or school. They are quick to do and fully explained. There is also a guide for schools which is easy to read and gives lots of safety tips so everyone exercises safely. This is all part of National School Meals Week (NSMW) which is organised by LACA to encourage young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and enjoy a great school meal.

Colin Jackson, CBE, BBC Commentator and former World Champion in the 110m hurdles, said, "I am delighted with the Get Active videos and exercise routines, they have come out really well and my congratulations to LACA for making them happen. They are a great resource that I hope students will watch on a very regular basis. I also believe they can be used in school PE lessons time and time again and not just on the Get Active day. I would love to see everyday becoming a get active day for students as the more they exercise the better they will feel now. Exercise is fun and especially when done with friends. Perhaps Get Active will be the new after school club at a friend's house".

Beverley Baker, LACA Chair, added, "We are delighted to have Colin Jackson's support. He is a great role model and ambassador for school meals. I know he has visited a number of schools recently and I am sure lots of students will be watching his videos online. It is a great way to get fitter and build up an appetite for a tasty school meal that meets the nutritional standards laid down by the Government. Also you don't need any special equipment. A bag of sugar or a tin of fruit can be easily used to replace a weight. The online resources will be available for the next year so that teachers and pupils can use them regularly.

LACA School Chef of the Year takes her cooking skills into the classroom

Tue, 10 Nov 2009

Debbie Mumford from Ermington Primary School in Devon and LACA School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) is demonstrating her cookery skills online today as part of National School Meals Week (NSMW). She will help children learn to cook her winning recipes and how to make a cottage pie. The videos can be watched at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk.

Debbie is joined by Leon Taylor, BBC Commentator, and former silver medallist and 10m synchronised diver at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The two of them are filmed with pupils form Gilbert Scot School in Croydon. They make salmon fish balls with yoghurt dressing followed by butternut squash cake. The recipes can be downloaded and there is a lesson plan for teachers. This means the cookery classes can take place at home or school.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA, said, "I believe the more children learn about food the better it is and I think this is a great way to do it. If children develop their knowledge of food at an early age they are more likely to be able to select items that make up a balanced diet. A school meal is a great way of enjoying different foods as the choice throughout the week is so varied. Most authorities also have theme days so that they can try out new dishes and see what the children think of them".

Leon Taylor, said, "It was a great day with Debbie and the children filming her cooking skills. She is a great catering teacher and I think it is really important that children learn about food and healthy eating. I have been to see a number of schools and the meals served there and been very impressed by the quality of the food and the dedication of the catering staff. I would have no hesitation in recommending a school meal to anyone".

Colin Jackson CBE reveals Britain's Favourite School Lunch at National School Meals Week 2009 launch

Mon, 09 Nov 2009

Despite the growing influence of international cuisine on our high streets, the popularity of celebrity chef cookery programmes and books featuring exotic dishes as well as the widening repertoire of school chefs to appeal to the taste buds of young people, nothing, it seems, can quash the popularity of traditional British fayre.

Today (Monday 9 November), former 110 metres World Championship hurdler, Colin Jackson CBE officially launches National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2009 (9 - 13 November) at Morpeth Secondary School in East London. He will reveal that our love affair with popular dishes such as sausages and mash for main courses and Bakewell tart for dessert continues unabated and British favourites still reign supreme regardless of whether you are 5 or 65+.

Prior to the start of NSMW 2009, people of all ages were asked to cast their vote online as to their favourite, or most fondly remembered, school meal from a choice of twelve typical school main courses and desserts listed on the NSMW website www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk From a significant 3000 votes registered between July - October 31, the national winning Favourite British School Main Course by a substantial margin was Roast Dinner with Sponge Pudding and Custard as the resounding Favourite British School Dessert. Nothing, it appears, can beat a good old British roast and Yorkshire Pudding!

Now in its 17th year, National School Meals Week is organized annually by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) to support a whole school approach to healthier eating by encouraging pupils and students to have a nutritious school meal and to adopt an active lifestyle.

This year, National School Meals Week has gone digital. It has switched to a completely new and up to the minute format with an online digital marketing campaign to reflect the growing familiarity and usage of the Internet by young people, parents and businesses in the public and private sectors. Schools, too, have become major users of the Internet for promotional, communication and educational purposes.

Entitled "Get Involved", the Week is proving to be the biggest event ever with over 90 school meal provider organizations taking part, equating to approximately 16,000 Primary and Secondary schools. NSMW 2009's new campaign has also won the support of the School Food Trust. Every year, NSMW is made possible by the generous support of LACA Partners and this year 24 of the school catering industry's leading suppliers of food, beverages, equipment and services are sponsoring the Week.

The Week's activities operate through its own website www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk which is aimed at school caterers and Primary school head teachers, teachers, governors, parents and young people. Each day of the Week will feature different themes and events for Primary and Secondary schools. On Tuesday 10 November, pupils can go online and learn basic cooking skills by watching demonstrations by LACA's School Chef of the Year 2009, Debbie Mumford and on Friday, 13 November they can make thank you cards as a means of acknowledging the great work of their school caterers.

Secondary students can get active online on Wednesday and watch Colin Jackson CBE demonstrate a wide range of exercises they can do both at home and at school. On Thursday students are invited to film their own 15 to 30 second TV commercial to demonstrate how they would promote healthy school meals to their friends and colleagues. The entries will be judged by an independent TV producer with the overall winner of the best ad receiving a prize of £350, £250 for the runner up plus five more prizes available of £100 each.

Colin Jackson CBE says: "Healthy eating and regular exercise are vital messages for our young generation so I can't stress the importance of National School Meals Week strongly enough. It is a national focus on getting the balance right between what you eat and the amount of exercise you do. It is no good talking to children and teenagers and telling them what will happen in 30 or 40 years. The messages must be relevant to their lives now and using the communication tools they are familiar with. I have been into schools recently and seen the fabulous food that is served every day. My aim is to show teenagers how easy it is to exercise and my message will be ‘now you have worked up an appetite, why not enjoy a great, new school meal?'. My all time favourite was Shepherd's Pie, by the way!"

School Food Trust Chief Executive, Judy Hargadon, said: "With new nutritional standards now in force in all schools, National School Meals Week is a chance to highlight the hard work being put in to ensure that all children have access to healthy, well-balanced food at school.

"School food has been transformed; the historical decline in take up of school lunches has been halted, with most parents telling us that they think the quality of school meals is good and that it has improved in the last 3 years. The challenge now is to keep encouraging more children to try school meals, working together to continue improving kitchens and dining rooms, and in making sure all those involved in school food have the support they need to deliver an efficient, innovative service."

Commenting on the success of NSMW 2009's new campaign, Beverley Baker, Chairman of the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) says: "2009 is a major turning point in the history of National School Meals Week. We have a brand new format which represents a far greater opportunity than ever before to directly interact with young people through a medium they both relate to and enjoy. With a different theme every day that is integral to a whole school approach we can, through fun, relevant activities, directly engage with them and encourage them to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle. Ultimately, our collective efforts with campaigns such as these, can start to make a real difference to improving their health for the future".

Contacts: Hazel Fancy, National Press Officer
T: 01483 574727
E: HaGreen7@aol.com

Colin Jackson CBE to reveal Britain's favourite school lunch at National School Meals Week 2009 launch

Thu, 05 Nov 2009

PHOTOCALL .... PHOTOCALL .... PHOTOCALL

Date: Monday 9 November 2009

Event: Launch of LACA's National School Meals Week 2009

Venue: Morpeth Secondary School, Portman Place, Bethnal Green, London E2 0PX

Time:

10.30 Announcement of result of National Vote for Britain's Favourite School Lunch
12.15 Britain's Favourite School Lunch served to guests
13.15 Colin Jackson runs Get Active session with students

Contact: Hazel Fancy Mobile: 07950 007169

Colin Jackson CBE, former 110 metres World Championship hurdler, BBC Commentator and Strictly Come Dancing competitor will officially launch National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2009 on Monday 9 November at Morpeth Secondary School in East London.

Colin, who is the face of National School Meals Week 2009, will also announce the results of a national and regional vote to find Britain's Favourite School Meal and Dessert. Over the past four months, people of all ages were asked to cast their vote online as to their favourite, or most fondly remembered, school meal from a choice of twelve typical school main courses and desserts listed on the NSMW website www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk

National School Meals Week is organized annually by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) to support a whole school approach to healthier eating by encouraging pupils and students to have a nutritious school meal and to adopt an active lifestyle.

Entitled "Get Involved", the 2009 Week is proving to be the biggest event ever with over 90 school meal provider organizations taking part, equating to approximately 16,000 Primary and Secondary schools. NSMW 2009's new campaign has also won the support of the School Food Trust.

This year's National School Meals Week has gone digital. For the first time, the Week will be an online digital marketing campaign with activities operating through its website - www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk which is aimed at school caterers, head teachers, teachers, governors, parents and young people. Each day of the Week will feature different themes and events for Primary and Secondary schools including Get Eating, Get Cooking, Get Active, Get Filming and Get Thanking.

Colin Jackson CBE leads the Get Active Day (Wed 11 Nov) with an online workout for Secondary students.

Contact: Hazel Fancy, National Press Officer, LACA.
Tel: 01483 574727 Mobile: 07950 007169
November 2009

NSMW Hits the Big One Hundred

Thu, 03 Sep 2009

Solutions SK Ltd, Stockport Council's wholly owned company, was the 100th local authority, contractor or school to sign up for National School Meals Week 2009.

Local authorities and schools can register on the website at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk to take part. Once they have registered they can access a range of marketing materials to help them run the week locally. Free webinars can also be booked with training about organising the week and digital marketing.

National School Meals Week runs from Monday 9th to Friday 13th November. On Monday the result of Britain's favourite school meal will be announced. Each day has a themed event including a Get Active Day with Colin Jackson on Wednesday and a Get Thanking Day on Friday. This gives pupils the chance to make thank you cards for their school cooks.

The school meals team at Solutions SK, are already making big plans for the week using the resources on the website. Leading up to the week staff will be asking children in Stockport to vote for their favourite school meal and the most popular meal will be cooked on Friday 13th November.

Next week Solutions SK will launch a competition on both www.myschoollunch.co.uk/stockport and http://www.yougo4it.co.uk/stockport to tie in with the Get Active Day. Secondary and Primary Schools will have the chance to win a visit from Stockport County Football Club at a school lunchtime.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA, said: "We are absolutely delighted we have reached the 100 mark already and this is set to be the biggest National School Meals Week yet. NSMW is fast approaching but there is still time for others to come on board. Simply register on www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk and download all the free marketing materials to promote the week.

Vote Is On To Find Britain's Most Popular School Meal

Sat, 15 Aug 2009

As children are heading back to school the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) wants to find out which is Britain's most popular school meal. Parents and pupils are invited to go to www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk/vote/ and vote for their favourite main course and dessert. The winning meal will be announced on Monday 9th November at the start of National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2009.

NSMW has been organised by LACA since 1993. The week promotes healthy school meals in England, Scotland and Wales and encourages pupils and students to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This year it is an online promotion using digital marketing tools like user generated content and social networking. During the week there will be online features and competitions plus local events. Already nearly 60 local authorities have signed up.

Beverley Baker, Chair of LACA, said, "School meals have changed in recent years and from this September they must all comply with strict Nutritional Standards laid down by the Government. There is now a much greater variety of food and that is why we would like to find Britain's favourite. Is it the more traditional roast meal or perhaps a Chicken wrap? And will it be rice pudding or a fruit smoothie? There are twelve main courses and desserts that voters can select from and these were chosen by a sample of 20 authorities from across the country. Already several hundred people have voted but we would love to see a lot more as we want to find out if there are regional variations".

The voice of National School Meals Week will be Colin Jackson, former World Champion in the 110 metres hurdles, BBC Sports Commentator on athletics and a competitor in last year's Strictly Come Dancing.

National School Meals Week will promote healthy eating in schools with Colin Jackson

Fri, 03 Jul 2009

National School Meals Week (NSMW) organised by the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) will take place from 9th to 13th November. The theme of the week is for parents, teachers, pupils, students, governors, families and school caterers to "Get involved" and eat the new healthy school meals that meet the nutritional standards set down by the Government.

The voice of the week will be Colin Jackson, former World Champion at the 110m hurdles and regular performer on TV in programmes like "Strictly Come Dancing" and "Who do you think you are?" Colin is also a presenter for the BCC on athletics. Colin said, "Healthy eating and regular exercise are vital messages for our young generation. The lessons they learn now will have an effect for the rest of their lives. However, we need to make the messages relevant to them today and that is why I am so pleased to be involved with National School Meals Week. I have been into schools recently and seen the fabulous food that is now served every day. The school caterers are doing a fantastic job and we need to say thank you to them."

Before the week starts people can go online at www.iloveschoolmeals.co.uk and vote for their favourite school meal and dessert. The results will be announced at the start of the week. There is a lot more planned including the opportunity for teenagers to "Get active" and work out with Colin.

More details will be announced online between now and 9th November. Please use the RSS feed to keep up to date.

Any questions should be sent to nsmw@avfmarketing.co.uk.