Information on Loughborough

school meals

Posted on 31/07/2007
Loughborough Newsdesk

school dining roomProposals to boost the number of children eating healthy school meals will be considered by Leicestershires ruling cabinet next week (Aug 7).

The County Council is proposing to boost the number of pupils eating school meals in Loughborough and the rest of the county from 28 per cent to just under 50 per cent by 2012.

At the moment, Eden Food Services supplies hot meals to 232 Leicestershire schools, with a further 41 schools providing their own. Eden Food Services are a national organisation and operate to the ISO 9001:2000 quality assurance system standard in all thier sites and have maintained accreditation since 1997 with key sites externally audited at least once a year.

Earlier this year, the Council consulted schools on the future of the service. All schools were consulted in January and 87 per cent said they preferred the Council to run their meals service.

The Councils School Food Support Service has worked with Eden to change menus, support healthy eating and encourage parents to sample meals. As a result, Leicestershire has not suffered as badly as other local authorities, where take up of meals has fallen by up to 30 per cent.

Primary schools in the county are showing a four per cent increase in take up and the downturn in secondary school meals has reduced from 20 per cent to 14 per cent. Now, 28 per cent of Leicestershire pupils eat school meals and the Council is proposing to boost take up still further.

The Council believes that it can increase this from 28 per cent to 48 per cent and break even within five years.

Ivan Ould, the cabinets member for childrens services, said: "Its extremely important that children and young people can make healthy choices about their diet and lifestyle.

"The County Coiuncil wants to work with schools, parents and young people to achieve the challenging targets ahead."

If approved by the cabinet on August 7, the school funding forum will be asked to agree in September to provide the extra funding required to enable the service to achieve these targets over the next five years.

During the earlier 13th round, Jeremy had a tough challenge ahead of him from an uncharacteristically low 15th on the grid but the BillChaser-backed ace came through strongly to finish in the top 10.

Climbing three places early on, Jeremy slipped back on lap 10 but then staged a fresh comeback during the remaining eight laps to achieve a welcome 10th place finish, a good effort and a result he wasnt expecting after a troublesome qualifying run on Saturday.

"To finish 10th wasnt too bad really as I had understeer and when youre tucked up behind someone with a lack of downforce youve got problems, added Jeremy, "Wed have much rather been at the sharp end fighting for a podium but considering where we started I dont think we can be too disappointed with the result.

There is now a three week break in the Formula Renault UK race calendar with rounds 15 and 16 of the championship taking place at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent on 18th/19th August.

Before then, Jeremy will return to the track at his home venue, Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, on Wednesday, 8th August, as part of an official Formula Renault UK test.