News

Tuesday 20th September 2016, saw the 'house full' signs go up at the Welsh Assembly’s iconic Pierhead Building where LACA’s National School Meals Week launched this year’s activity with a celebration of all that is great about school food in Wales.

Sponsored by Wrexham constituency Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths, the event was an unqualified success with a significant number of AM’s and support staff present, along with local authority figures from across Wales. The Welsh Government’s Food in Schools Policy Officer, Charlotte Maurer, was in attendance as was LACA Vice Chair Timothy Blowers and the LACA Wales committee was also well represented.

The event was publicised inside the Senedd and outside both the Pierhead and the Senedd buildings inviting the general public to come and sample the delicious school food on offer and they responded in their droves. Over 300 people came into the building, tried the food, engaged with the politicians and the NSMW/LACA team and listened to the speeches.

The Assembly staff had to eventually turn people away as we had reached full capacity in the main hall and had to enlist the help of a couple of the friendly local constabulary on duty and position them at the door.

Lesley Griffiths gave a powerful and impassioned speech on the need for the nation’s children to eat more healthily, stating that there had never been a more important time to look at the diet of our young particularly in the light of the chid obesity crisis. Ms Griffiths highlighted the many benefits of school meals, in particular the nutrient values and strict controls of harmful sugars, salts, fats etc. It was a great endorsement of school meals in Wales and the video of the full address will be uploaded to this site shortly.

LACA Vice Chair Timothy Blowers, said: “It is great to be showcasing the best of Welsh school food at the heart of Government in Cardiff. The food on offer here today is testament to the transformative journey that school meals have been through over the last few years, and Welsh school food is at the forefront of these positive changes.

Caterers across Wales do a fantastic job feeding thousands of children every day and chances such as this to show off the high level of skill are a fantastic opportunity to display that. School meals in Wales can now be counted among some of the best in the country and as caterers we should be immensely proud of that.”

School Food in Wales just keeps getting better!!