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The Annual School Lunch was attended by key industry figures including Andy Kemp, Judith Gregory, Derek Wright and former LACA chairs Michael Hales and Stephen Forster. Over 20 MPs also attended the event to talk with LACA representatives and school caterers about the importance and challenges of providing school meals.  

The MPs who attended included Angela Rayner MP for Ashton under Lyne and deputy leader of the Labour Party, Janet Daby co-MP for Lewisham East, Stephen Morgan MP for Portsmouth South and Shadow Minister for Schools, Munira Wilson MP for Twickenham, Charlotte Nichols MP for Warrington North, Christian Wakeford MP for Bury South, Bambos Charalambous MP for Enfield Southgate and Anna Firth MP for Southend West plus many more.   

During the event LACA had three core aims to highlight and discuss:

• Campaign for an urgent increase in funding per meal for both Universal Infant Free School Meals (currently £2.41) and Free School Meals (currently £2.47) to address the cost of living crisis. LACA also called for these to increase annually with inflation as a necessary investment in children’s futures.
• An extension to Free School Meals to children whose parents are entitled to Universal Credit.
• Funding for school meals to be ring-fenced to ensure funding follows the child. The budget is currently issued to schools who do not always pass the full amount to the caterer to provide school meals.

Brad Pearce, chair of LACA, commented: “We’re really pleased to be able to be back here at the House of Commons for the first time in three years to hold LACA’s Annual School Lunch. The event is our opportunity to showcase all that is great about school food and how school caterers go the extra mile every day to serve freshly prepared, great tasting, hot school lunches in schools across the country.

“It’s also the time when we can press home our message to MPs and decision makers that, during the current cost of living crisis where we’ve seen food inflation in excess of 50%, more has to be done now to address the shortfalls in funding for FSM and UIFSM to ensure that schools and caterers are able to continue to provide what may be the only hot meal of the day for some children.

“I’m pleased to say that the day has been really well attended and we’ve had some good conversations with many MPs who listened to the call for increased funding - now we need to see that turned into positive action while we continue to lobby and campaign.”

A LACA survey found that 91% of respondents were experiencing food shortages, with over 60% saying that this has not improved since the last survey in May 2022.

The cost of living crisis is hitting vulnerable families the most, so LACA believes the provision of a hot and healthy school lunch has never been more important. LACA says it is imperative that no child falls through the cracks and goes hungry.  

The event was made possible thanks to the industry’s biggest supporters Sharon Hodgson MP, Diana Johnson MP and Andrew Gwynne MP.

Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West, said: “It was a fantastic event to celebrate school food with the sector, LACA and fellow parliamentarians. Each one of us represents school caterers in our constituencies who serve thousands of children a hot and nutritious meal on a daily basis.

“Unfortunately, public sector caterers are facing major challenges with rising utility bills and the cost of procurement so the return of this event to Parliament could not have come at a better time. I am proud to shout about the benefits of school food and will continue to do so at every opportunity, especially following this important event!”

LACA, the school food people, are the representative body of the school food industry. With over 300 local authorities, county, district councils and London Boroughs represented in the membership, 80% of the school catering service in the UK is provided by LACA members.

Previous LACA School Chef of the Year (SCOTY) winners and contestants including Sharon Armstrong, Tom Armstrong, Raheem Morgan and Holly Charnock helped serve typical examples of school lunches at the event. The meals served included chicken tikka; roast beef in gravy with mini Yorkshire puddings; mild bean & vegetable chilli; Mushroom, spinach, onion and courgetti frittata as well as cheese and tomato pasta.

At the event school food dishes were served thanks to Chartwells, Tamar Fresh and Westminster School. The event was an opportunity to showcase the benefits of children consuming a hot, healthy and nutritious school meal.

Juniper Ventures helped bring four schoolchildren from Upton Cross Primary School along to the event. The schoolchildren met with MPs, handed out stickers and talked to industry figures about their experiences of having school meals.

Several Kinship Charity carers joined the Annual School Lunch event to enjoy a school meal after handing in their own petition to Parliament.

Attendees all received a goody bag at the end of the event containing important information about LACA’s core aims as well as festive treats supplied by Rochdale Borough Council and Edsential school meals service in Cheshire West and Chester.

LACA paid tribute to Harfield, Parry and Falcon who kindly provided the equipment for the Annual School Lunch event.