COVENTRY City Football Club, Sky Blues in the Community and Coventry Building Society Arena came together last week to show support for the cities leg of the free school meals for all national tour.
Expanding the meals to all primary school children would lift pressure on thousands of families across the city.
The National Education Union van tour arrived in Coventry on September 19.
18.5 per cent of the city’s population is living in areas that are in the bottom 10 per cent for deprivation in England and 26 per cent of children in the city are growing up in poverty.
No Child Left Behind is a campaign by the National Education Union calling on government to ensure every child has the basics to learn and go on to a bright future.
The demand for free school meals for all is backed by over 300 coalition of organisations, politicians and public figures including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, School And Public Health Nurses Association and Child Poverty Action Group, as well as celebrities like Olivia Colman, Kate Winslet and Ed Sheeran.
Zarah Sultana MP, said: “Every child should get a healthy meal each day, but that’s being denied to millions of kids.
“We shouldn’t leave school communities to pick up the pieces from the cost of living crisis alone, the government must play its part by funding free school dinners for all.
“That way, right through the school day, every child will get the food crucial to their learning.”
Doug King, owner and executive chairman of Coventry City, said: “Both my parents were teachers and understood the benefit of a healthy nutritious school dinner for pupils supporting their concentration, engagement and learning at school.
“Education is critically important for self-development and social mobility and our football club supports all aspects of improving this for every child whatever their background.”
Cara Page, Headteacher at All Saints School added that children learn better on full stomachs.
“We already have universal Free School Meals from reception through Year two and school staff know how important that healthy, hot dinner is. We wish we could continue this for children in Year three and up.”
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary at National Education Union, said one in five schools in England now report running food banks.
Dee Ward, Project Manager of Coventry Foodbank, added: “Last year demand for our food bank grew significantly.
“Problems of food poverty still remain. No child should have to worry about where they will get their next meal.
“Our government should play its part to solve this ongoing crisis. Backing free school meals for all is an important step in reducing the number of children and their families needing to use food banks.”
