[Ammi]

Marcus Rashford has criticised free school meal packages being sent to some children and families learning from home.

The parcels, which have been sent to children who would normally qualify for free school meals and are now learning remotely during the national lockdown, have been criticised online by parents.

One tweet showed a package, supposedly containing £30 worth of food to last for 10 days, comprising just a loaf of bread, some cheese, a tin of beans, two carrots, two bananas, three apples, two potatoes, a bag of pasta, three Frubes, two Soreen bars and a tomato.

In response to another post, the Manchester United striker and anti-poverty campaigner tweeted: “3 days of food for 1 family … Just not good enough”. In a later tweet, he added: “Then 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.”

In response, the Department for Education tweeted: “We have clear guidelines and standards for food parcels, which we expect to be followed.” The children’s minister, Vicky Ford, said she would be “urgently” look into the matter.

Chartwells, the company which she said provided the parcel meant to last for 10 days, said it would investigate. It said: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention, this does not reflect the specification of one of our hampers.”

Keir Starmer described the situation as “a disgrace”. The Labour leader tweeted: “The images appearing online of woefully inadequate free school meal parcels are a disgrace. Where is the money going? This needs sorting immediately so families don’t go hungry through lockdown.”

...full article...

https://www.theguardian.com/educatio...-meal-packages

[UserSince2005]

If this man gave 10% of his salary instead of moaning for the people of £30k to pay for it then it wouldn’t be a problem

[Niamh.]

Food must be very expensive over there if that's £30 worth of food. Why not give supermarket vouchers for for food instead? Surely that would save a lot of work for whatever department have to put all that together and deliver it

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by UserSince2005

If this man gave 10% of his salary instead of moaning for the people of £30k to pay for it then it wouldn’t be a problem

Surely he's already giving a large percentage of his salary in Tax?

[Oliver_W]

I'm not particularly thrifty but I could make £30 go a lot further than that...

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Surely he's already giving a large percentage of his salary in Tax?

He does a lot for the cause. This needs a long term solution from the government, not one footballer throwing money at it. Child poverty in this country should be an embarrassment for the Government and long term solutions should be found to help these families. We should not expect one footballer to fix it. Marcus has lived on one of the most deprived estates in Manchester and is trying to ensure that other children get a better solution.

[Black Dagger]

Originally Posted by UserSince2005

If this man gave 10% of his salary instead of moaning for the people of £30k to pay for it then it wouldn’t be a problem

No. The government should be held totally accountable. Ta.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

He does a lot for the cause. This needs a long term solution from the government, not one footballer throwing money at it. Child poverty in this country should be an embarrassment for the Government and long term solutions should be found to help these families. We should not expect one footballer to fix it. Marcus has lived on one of the most deprived estates in Manchester and is trying to ensure that other children get a better solution.

Yeah, it's a shame people can't appreciate his efforts instead of putting him down because he earns a lot of money now and I just googled what premier league footballers pay in Tax and it's 45% so I think he already contributes enough to be able to have a say in how it's spent

[Ammi]

...(...I don’t know but I presume...)...this ‘£30’ of food is being provided by a school contracted catering company and that they’re who are profiting from the food parcels...if that’s so then they do really need to be named and shamed...

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Yeah, it's a shame people can't appreciate his efforts instead of putting him down because he earns a lot of money now and I just googled what premier league footballers pay in Tax and it's 45% so I think he already contributes enough to be able to have a say in how it's spent

His charity also raised £20million for Fairshare foodbanks. Its not like he's not done anything.

[Ammi]

...some school directly give vouchers, I believe...so the families can economically shop themselves...

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

His charity also raised £20million for Fairshare foodbanks. Its not like he's not done anything.

Good on him

[Cherie]

That looks like about 5.00 worth of food, how many children is this for and for how long?

Bag of pasta 80p
Loaf of Bread 90p
two baked potatoes 40p
2 carrots 10p
Cheese slices 1.00
Tomato 10p
Tin of beans 50p
soreen 50p
frubes ..no idea but maybe 50p

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...some school directly give vouchers, I believe...so the families can economically shop themselves...

I mean that would make the most sense really

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Cherie

That looks like about 5.00 worth of food, how many children is this for and for how long?

Bag of pasta 80p
Loaf of Bread 90p
two baked potatoes 40p
2 carrots 10p
Cheese slices 1.00
Tomato 10p
Tin of beans 50p
soreen 50p
frubes ..no idea but maybe 50p

...yeah, that’s what has been said...around 5.22, I think...I presume that’s been provided by a school catering company and that’s their profit...

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...yeah, that’s what has been said...around 5.22, I think...I presume that’s been provided by a school catering company and that’s their profit...

get me, savvy shopper

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I mean that would make the most sense really

...there was also an element of disapproval for that method with ‘the spending control’ being given to the parents...

[Jake.]

They’ve spent a fiver and pocketed the rest

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Cherie

get me, savvy shopper

...yeah, but that’s what we’ve had at schools for such a long time and why the Jamie Oliver thing didn’t work for so many either...because so many schools were tied into catering contracts and the cost per child was crazy...but local produce wasn't allowed to be used...

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Jake.

They’ve spent a fiver and pocketed the rest

...yeah basically, into the profit pocket...

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...there was also an element of disapproval for that method with ‘the spending control’ being given to the parents...

Why? They're the ones preparing the food

[Ammi]

[AnnieK]

You'll get the "they'll spend it on fags and booze" brigade out of they gave vouchers out (even though the vast majority wouldn't). There needs to be a better solution for the families in need so they receive the money they are entitled to from the government so no child goes hungry

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Why? They're the ones preparing the food

...(...I don’t know if it’s the reasoning, I’m just speculating with my own thoughts...)...but there was so much negativity when it was suggested, that it might not be spent on food but on ‘alcohol and fags etc...’...(...I’m pretty sure that a food voucher would have to be spent on food, so that’s silly but you know these ‘outcries’...so anyway, just to ensure it all goes to the children with good sustenance etc...£30 per family is given in exchange for £5 of food...that’s how cleverly thought out that was...

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

You'll get the "they'll spend it on fags and booze" brigade out of they gave vouchers out (even though the vast majority wouldn't). There needs to be a better solution for the families in need so they receive the money they are entitled to from the government so no child goes hungry

...or this..I’m pretty sure though that you wouldn’t be able to spend food vouchers on alcohol and cigs...like if you get a supermarket voucher for instance...?....it does stipulate, doesn’t it...?...