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Government funded free school meals firm shamed over “Unacceptable” £30 shopping parcel

Parents of children who qualify for free school meals are outraged at the small amount of food they have been given that is supposed to last 10 days.

As the Government voted to stop the £30 food vouchers for kids, they replaced them with food parcels given out by private companies that have been funded by the Government. It has been revealed however, that these parcels don’t come near to the £30 value they are supposed to.

A mum who received the food parcel valued hers at £5.22 if bough from Asda (not even Aldi)! She was given two jacket potatoes, a loaf of bread, eight cheese slices, two carrots, three apples, a can of beans, two Soreen Malt Lunchbox Loaves, three Frubes, some pasta and one tomato.

The mum wrote alongside the image: ‘Issued instead of £30 vouchers. I could do more with £30 to be honest.’

She added: ‘Public funds were charged £30. I’d have bought this for £5.22. The private company who have the free school meals contract made a good profit here.’

Footballer Marcus Rashford, who lobbied for the government to continue the free school meals for children throughout the summer wrote on Twitter: “If families are entitled to £30 worth of food, why is their delivery only equating to just over £5?! 1 child or 3, this is what they are receiving? Unacceptable.”

He continued “Children deserve better than this…” as he started to share images that had been sent in from other parents who have received the miniscule food packages.

 

The government’s apartment of education tweeted: “We are looking into this. We have clear guidelines and standards for food parcels, which we expect to be followed. Parcels should be nutritious and contain a varied range of food.”

Marcus later wrote: “Imagine we expect the children to engage in learning from home. Not to mention the parents who, at times, have to teach them who probably haven’t eaten at all so their children can…

“We MUST do better. This is 2021.”

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