Local schools and businesses stepping up to the plate after MPs vote down Free School Meals in Aylesbury

Local MPs Greg Smith and Rob Butler voted down giving vulnerable children free school meals last week during the half term break.
The Codfather and other local schools and businesses have stepped up to help feed vulnerable kidsThe Codfather and other local schools and businesses have stepped up to help feed vulnerable kids
The Codfather and other local schools and businesses have stepped up to help feed vulnerable kids

However, local Aylesbury businesses are doing their bit to help out where they can.

The Old Millwrights Arms in Aylesbury is offering free kids pizzas during half term time.

You can read about that here.The Codfather has been in touch with the Herald to say that they too are offering free meals for vulnerable children during half term.

Nikhil, from the Codfather, said: "We are taking part in a kids eat free initiative to help families to feed their kids during half term.

"We have also recently donated 236 meals vouchers to the foodbank plus an additional £500 in vouchers to the foodbank following a competition we had won.

"We just want to help the community that we are so proud to be part of. No child should go hungry."

Pebblebrook School have said they are offering a free children's menu at their Healthy Living Centre in Walton Court.

Headteacher David Miller said: "We are providing a free menu for children from 11am - 2pm from Monday to Friday.

"We would love to see you.

"We have a facility which we run, so it seemed like an obvious step to take to provide free meals for the children who need them most.

"We're doing this because these are unprecedented times and we believe if we have the capacity to help out, we should.

"Please come along and enjoy a free meal.

"Our local community is very important to us and we should all look to give back where we can."

This is located at Unit 1 Walton Court Shopping Centre, Hannon Road, Aylesbury - HP218TJ

Local Councillor Stephen Lamber, who was the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate in 2019, said:

"I am disappointed in Rob Butler. Its ok for him to get his subsidised lunch at Parliament but then to turn his back on those that really need help to eat in his own constituency is frankly sickening.

"The evidence is clear that children learn more and are more active when they have lunch.

"We can't afford a lost generation of children for the want of a meal. I am calling on Bucks Council to step in and close the funding gap to avoid children going hungry in Bucks just because our MP blocked it.

"For the record we support Marcus Rashford in his campaign for all families with children who receive free school meals (because their families are on very low incomes) to receive food vouchers when children are away from school for holidays etc.

"It was our hope that the Government would continue to the funding of this that had been provided for the summer holidays.

Clearly they were thinking of their own needs over that of our children.

"That's why Bucks Council should step in and support local foodbanks and our children and families. Many of which we already know and can readily reach out to to provide support.