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A loaf and a block of cheese is not lunch for ten days THREAD 2

336 replies

ZazieSheHer · 13/01/2021 04:37

A loaf and a block of cheese is not lunch for ten days ORIGINAL THREAD

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
VinylDetective · 13/01/2021 13:41

[quote Katyppp]@vinyldetective
As i said on the old thread, it's easier to name call and throw insults at people than engage in discussions.
You have just proved my point.[/quote]
There’s no point in attempting to engage in a discussion with someone who rubbishes facts as hearsay and refuses to believe the evidence they requested. Incidentally I haven’t called you names or insulted you, merely remarked on your callousness, of which you’ve provided copious evidence.

Katyppp · 13/01/2021 13:47

Where are the facts though? You have not provided any facts, have you? You have provided a link commenting on the amount of food allocated.

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 13:48

@CrotchBurn

I'm not a parent so maybe I'm not understanding this properly. But even if all they contained was stuff to make cheese sandwiches every day for lunch, then isnt that enough? Presumably the child is also having breakfast, a snack in the afternoon and their tea, right? So what's the big deal?
No.

The purpose of FSM is that most.of these children are not getting anything else a day.

If a child needs FSM then the majority are not being made breakfast and tea.

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 13:51

[quote Katyppp]@vinyldetective

I have read the article and it still does not evidence the facts i was looking for.
I think we are in agreement that some of the food hampers are meagre, i said that originally. This is what the Government have agreed with in that article.
However, the majority of the outrage seems to be based on the following two 'facts' :

  1. The food hampers were supposed to contain £30 worth of food. As far as i can see, this seems to have stemmed from an assumption that, because the vouchers given out last time were worth £30, the food given out this time would match this value. I can't see any evidence that this has been communicated by any official source. Indeed, the cateter in the article you linked to said the boxes cost £10.
  2. The food photographed was supposed to last 10 days. Again, lots of outrage but no official source. The caterer said 5 days but this seems to have brushed aside in favour of drama snd hyperbole.
So everyone is getting all self-righteous and angry based on nothing more than hearsay and their own agendas. Nothing new there then.[/quote] Why are you continuing to rubbish photographic evidence ? What is your own agenda? Do you think this woman thought tell you what would be a right laugh , let's hide some of the food then post and claim we didn't get it?

The company's story has changed several times. The company are funders of the Tory party. They were paid 30 and delivered that. These are facts.

You are being pedantic and argumentative which is all very clever but what you are actually doing is defending a corrupt system which is benefiting from starving children. Why?

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 13:53

[quote Whattheactual20201]@Katyppp you are completely right and especially now !

FSM were for those receiving certain benefits including working parents.
Many of those can afford those feed their children and some of them can’t die to diff circumstances.
However in the mist of a pandemic and parents not being able to work - universal credit wait times etc
A lot of parents not entitled to free school meals are struggling to feed their kids.
I agree with you there needs to be things out in place though for the ones who need it Current FSM children or not.
There also has to be some sort of self discipline here also and those who are entitled but don’t need them should just apply for the vouchers / food because they can.[/quote]
Do you think there are many of these people? Do you think people feel pride accepting vouchers to feed their kids and think get that up ye I've actually got full cupboards tehe.

How does one judge who needs and who doesn't?

VinylDetective · 13/01/2021 13:55

@Katyppp

Where are the facts though? You have not provided any facts, have you? You have provided a link commenting on the amount of food allocated.
More facts.

www.gov.uk/government/news/voucher-scheme-launches-for-schools-providing-free-school-meals

www.thesun.co.uk/news/13729001/marcus-rashford-call-boris-johnson-school-meal-parcels-chartwells/

deliciouschilli · 13/01/2021 14:01

Google Chartwells Independant and see what they have been providing for Private School Children.
The comparison is unbeliveable and totally disgusting.

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 14:05

www.chartwellsindependent.co.uk/our-food/

cantdothisnow1 · 13/01/2021 14:06

Are you on twitter @katyppp because even Boris Johnson disagrees with you according to both his personal account and the official Office of Prime Minister Account.

But keep telling us we are wrong.

Clavinova · 13/01/2021 14:07

CFSKate

The "beautiful canapés" in your link (Norwich School) were served at an evening charity event for adults (film screening + Q & A) in February 2020; "colourful canapés for the viewing of Forgotten Allies."

cantdothisnow1 · 13/01/2021 14:09

Phew they are going to issue vouchers again and scrap the food boxes.

Theredjellybean · 13/01/2021 14:09

The mother who photographed the food originally was just on radio 4 news. She said specifically that it was not enough food for a week.
It is a box for one child? Normally fsm doesn't =food for the whole family.
I thought fsm were lunch at school?
I understand that many children don't get much else but during normal non covid times was there so much outrage about this?
Are what kids get in school a lot more than sandwiches, fruit, yogurt?
If yes, then I get the anger.
The big issue for me is the fact in non covid times kids weren't getting fed breakfast, dinner etc and we seemed OK because they were getting fsm.
This should be a chance for society to look hard at how we support these kids.

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 14:16

@Theredjellybean

The mother who photographed the food originally was just on radio 4 news. She said specifically that it was not enough food for a week. It is a box for one child? Normally fsm doesn't =food for the whole family. I thought fsm were lunch at school? I understand that many children don't get much else but during normal non covid times was there so much outrage about this? Are what kids get in school a lot more than sandwiches, fruit, yogurt? If yes, then I get the anger. The big issue for me is the fact in non covid times kids weren't getting fed breakfast, dinner etc and we seemed OK because they were getting fsm. This should be a chance for society to look hard at how we support these kids.
There has always been outrage about FSM but we knew that when they were in school they were getting one hot dinner a day - schools also run breakfast clubs and if you read through the first thread there are many posters talking about funding snacks for some pupils out of their own pockets. Depending what they want , FSM is usually a sandwich /panini, a muffin or fruit , and a drink. But most kids IME go for the hot option which changes daily. The point isn't necessarily what the box is. It's the fact that the government and the company thought it was acceptable to give that.

FSM has always been an issue. Child poverty is very real. IME I have seen some awful sights when it comes to children and food and drink. But because of stereotypes , the media , and ignorant PPs like the one still quibbling about the validity of Twitter posts , it's a muddy issue and it's the weans who suffer.

GlobeUs · 13/01/2021 14:17

@CFSKate That is funded by the parents who pay for food via there school fees though - completely different scenario.

Parents who can afford independent schools often will look at the school meal provision as part of them selecting a school - they are happy to pay extra for high quality food.

Wheresmykimchi · 13/01/2021 14:21

[quote GlobeUs]@CFSKate That is funded by the parents who pay for food via there school fees though - completely different scenario.

Parents who can afford independent schools often will look at the school meal provision as part of them selecting a school - they are happy to pay extra for high quality food.[/quote]
Right ...

So it's OK to give mainstream school weans complete shite and prepare perfect food for the ones who pay.

Nice.

LucilleTheVampireBat · 13/01/2021 14:25

Where are the facts though? You have not provided any facts, have you? You have provided a link commenting on the amount of food allocated

Why are you so invested in defending this? I'd be ashamed to keep going at this, demanding facts and evidence like a dog with a bone, and then crying "stop bullying me" when people point out how utterly devoid of compassion you sound. Stand back hungry children, we are debating with facts and evidence to defend a corrupt government. Embarassing.

GlobeUs · 13/01/2021 14:27

@Wheresmykimchi Not what I am saying at all - if parents chose to pay 100 pounds per week for school meals, then the quality is going to be substantial different to what can be ordered for 30 (or 5 as was the case in many of the photographs) pounds per week.

Surely you understand that? The two are not comparable because they are based on two extremely different financial offerings.

I have never said state schools deserve shit so please don't put words in my mouth.

GlobeUs · 13/01/2021 14:29

I absolutely could make 20 - 25 meals out of 25 pounds (without buying in bulk) which are nutritious and filling so I think what has been offered to parents is absolutely horrific. I don't agree with it at all, but that doesn't mean I am going to slam families who chose to pay extra to ensure their kids do access better quality foods for school lunches.

mimi0708 · 13/01/2021 14:29

@pointythings

Well, attitudes on this thread and on its fellows do explain so very well why this country has the government that it has.

People want poor people to be treated like this is the bottom line. Angry

Yup and it's really depressing. As long as they are okay, they don't really care or cannot possibly imagine what other people have to go through. :(
Bookworming · 13/01/2021 14:32

Yup and it's really depressing. As long as they are okay, they don't really care or cannot possibly imagine what other people have to go through. :(

Yep and the "it's only lunch" is ridiculous, like people are so blinkered that they think this is not the child's main or even only meal of the day.

And the cries of well the parents should pay and if they can't??

GlobeUs · 13/01/2021 14:34

And the cries of well the parents should pay and if they can't??

Of course parents shouldn't pay - the entire reason we have FSM is because parents do not have the financial ability to pay for meals.

However, I am sure if we gave parents the financial ability to pay for meals (ie a bulk payment for two weeks), the vast majority of them would be able to provide far better quality, and far more nutritious, as well as more quantity of meals, for their children.

Seymour5 · 13/01/2021 14:35

I'm sure parents could feed their children much better if they were given vouchers. However, the reporting on the issue has been ridiculous, saying this is to 'feed a child for a week' when it should say to 'provide lunches for five days for a child'. I could make five basic lunches for a younger child out of a loaf, a large tin of beans, a lump of cheese, and two baking spuds. I'd have liked to have seen more fruit to add to the yoghurt and biscuits. However, in my poor child rearing days, (and even now) a big pot of soup costs little and can last a few days, with crusty bread or sandwiches to bulk it up. Eggs are another staple, but like the soup, they require some preparation.

I wish everyone who needs to claim benefits was getting the support they need to ensure they are getting all their entitlements, help with managing expensive debt, and some help, if they need it, with budgeting on a limited income. The little envelopes we used in the olden days for rent, gas, electric, food, etc may be thought eccentric, but the less you have the more important that it goes on necessities. Those who have suddenly lost income due to the pandemic are probably more vulnerable than the experienced benefits claimants at the moment, with the long waiting times for UC etc.

As a pensioner, I do take on board the issue of pension credit, but I'd suggest its a smack in the teeth for those of us who tried to make provision, but for one reason or another our pensions are only just above the limit for benefits! Was the sacrifice worth it? A bigger basic state pension for all would be much fairer, income tax would still do its job with the better off, those of us just getting by wouldn't feel we'd been misguided in sacrificing to save, and those already on PC would see no difference.

FlatteredRhubardFool · 13/01/2021 14:39

Our school has emailed today to say we are getting vouchers and within 2 hours I'd received them. I can choose from all the main supermarkets. They are issuing them weekly at £15 per child. No idea what our primary is doing but I'm relieved to know I have £30 a week for the dds' school lunches as they are always hungry at the moment. I will get much more value using that for 2 children than I would do £15 for one child. It's appalling that there is any differences in the system that work against the children.

GlobeUs · 13/01/2021 14:40

@FlatteredRhubardFool much easier when you can buy for two children and a little more in bulk. Maybe wait to see if primary does the same for more products in bulk.

Do you know why it is 15 pounds and now 30 pounds that was given to the contrators though?

chomalungma · 13/01/2021 14:52

I guess people have seen the guidelines that were being talked about at PMQs

laca.co.uk/laca-view/free-school-meals-guidance-producing-food-parcels