Parents decide to set up their own meals service (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Parents decide to set up their own meals service

Laura Illsley and daughter Sophie, left, and Pam Shipperbottom and daughter Lauren. The mums set up Let's Do Lunch after the school closed down its kitchens Ref: 72092-39NATIONAL SCHOOL MEALS WEEK: AFTER hearing that Lethbridge Primary School was going to close down its school kitchen, two mums knew they had to fight.

Pam Shipperbottom and Laura Illsley were angry at the prospect of children not having the opportunity to eat a hot meal in school.

They decided to set up their own company, Let's Do Lunch, which provides fresh nutritious meals.

In December 2003, the school decided it was no longer economically viable to keep the kitchen open.

"I think it's a shame not all children get to eat a healthy lunch in school," said Mrs Shipperbottom.

"We didn't want the children to go without a hot meal at school.

"Our idea was to provide a healthy but tasty meal for children, using fresh organic, locally sourced food.

"At the moment 90 per cent of the food we are using is unprocessed, 80 per cent is organic and 65 per is locally bought."

Mrs Shipperbottom has three children herself, Emma, 22, Lauren, seven and Sam, three.

"Presentation is key when giving children a healthy meal. If it looks good then they will eat it," she said.

"We cook traditional meals such as cottage pie from scratch and the children love it."

There are 500 children at the school and between 200 and 250 eat a hot meal every day.

"The school meal provides the children with 30 per cent of their daily nutrients, which is extremely important," said Mrs Shipperbottom. "We need to change the ways schools think about food and make sure children are given the healthiest options available, which still taste good."

Let's Do Lunch is planning to expand to three more schools in town this year.

What is in the box

WHEN Swindon Services stopped providing hot meals they introduced a packed lunch service.

The menu is:

Monday: Cheese sandwich, Fruity Byte Bag, cranberry juice, Cadbury Chocolate Animals

Tuesday: Turkey sandwich, carrot sticks, pineapple juice, yoghurt

Wednesday: Sliced egg, grapes, milk, muffin

Thursday: Ham sandwich, Fruity Byte Bag, apple juice, shortbread

Friday: Tuna sandwich, cucumber sticks, orange juice, flapjack