Basic Lunch

At NHP, our pupils are fortunate enough to be able to access nutritious and varied meals made up of a number of different ingredients and portions generous enough to power them through the day and keep their brains and bodies healthy and growing. Statistics show that a shocking 29% of children in Kensington and Chelsea are living in poverty, of which food poverty plays a huge part, and 33% of London adults have skipped meals to save money so that their children can eat. This winter, the rise in the cost of living continues to leave many of our local community struggling to put food on the table and keep their homes warm. Often, they will have to choose between the two – a situation which causes incredible stress and anxiety.

As winter and the cost of living crisis continues within our community, on Tuesday our pupils had the opportunity to play a vital part in supporting the work of the Kensington & Chelsea Foodbank through donating the saved costs from a ‘basic lunch’. With the aim of saving on food costs to donate to the foodbank, our Catering Team devised a reduced lunch menu for our pupils consisting of pasta with tomato sauce, soup, crudités, bread and a deliciously simple sweet treat; all basic staples (aside from the fresh produce) that are offered to those who seek support from our local foodbank at the Notting Hill Methodist Church, just down the road from NHP. The Kensington & Chelsea Foodbank is part of a London wide network providing three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food packages and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis.  All the food they are given is donated from local people and organisations. Sadly for far too many, the foodbank is a major lifeline and so it stands as a crucial part of our local community. From just one lunch, we were able to make an incredible saving of £299 to donate to the foodbank to support those in need locally and we look forward to introducing the ‘basic lunch’ again in the near future, as well as working more closely with the Kensington & Chelsea Foodbank.

The children really appreciated taking the time to hear some interesting information on the work of the charity, creating a greater awareness around food poverty within our borough, and feedback from the lunch was that it was a resounding success.

“‘Could we do this every week?’”

“It’s nice to think that we are making a difference”

“I will really appreciate lunch tomorrow in a different way’”

“I do miss the salad bar a bit, but it’s worth it”