Hastings mum blasts ‘ridiculous’ free school meals food parcel

The move comes after parents of children who qualify for free school meals shared pictures on social media and the national press of the small amount of food they have been given to last them 10 days.

Food parcels have been brought in to replace £30 vouchers given to parents to spend in supermarkets as schools close due to the Covid-19 pandemic and pupils again switch to remote learning.

The Hastings mum shared her post anonymously with Belles of the Ball, a Robertsbridge-based charity, which supports low-income families.

The post was passed on to this newspaper.

She is one of many parents to share posts of the parcels they have received.

In her post, the mother said: “This is the box I received for my two daughters. I said to my sister I don’t understand what meal they expect to be prepared out of these? Except maybe beans on toast? Can’t really even make sandwiches unless you already have butter etc at home which for some they don’t due to being unable to get to the shops. It’s ridiculous.”

As reported in the national press, one mother who received a parcel with similar contents valued the goods at just over £5 if bought from Asda.

Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, who successfully lobbied the Government into continuing free school meals for children through the summer and Christmas holidays, has also slammed the food parcels.

In several tweets, he said: “Children deserve better than this. 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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