A week of free lunches for all new starters in borough schools

A unique Royal Borough scheme will prove that there is such a thing as a free lunch when more than 1,300 five-year-olds tuck in to healthy meals when they start school in September – at no charge.

The council and its school meals contractor Harrison Catering Services have joined forces to give all Year 1 new-starters in Royal Borough schools a week of free lunches to introduce them to the nutritious menus available throughout the year in their school dining halls.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children's services, said:  "This is a great way of giving children a warm welcome to their new schools and helping develop their appetites for the fresh, healthy meals that will sustain them across the day.

"I hope parents of all our Year 1 pupils will allow their children to take advantage of this exciting offer because we believe that when the children have tasted the food for themselves and discovered just how delicious it is, they will want to carry on having school meals in the future."

All 42 schools who will have Year 1 intakes in September are being notified this week about the scheme and letters are going out to parents to let them know about the free lunches available when their child starts school in September.

Gareth Harrison, director group business for Harrison Catering Services, said:  "School meals have moved on significantly since we took over the contract three years ago.  We serve tasty, fresh food every day using recipes that the children recognise and enjoy.  Freshly prepared, hot meals now cost only £2 per day, which represents fantastic value for money and a healthy way to keep concentration levels high throughout the school afternoon."

During the week of free lunches the menu will be typical of the range of food available every week throughout the school year, meeting the government's strict nutritional guidelines and offering fresh, healthy food, prepared and presented in ways that appeal to young children.

Free lunches will be provided from the day each child starts school and will continue until Friday September 12.