Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed that the £30 free school meal hampers received by some parents across the country are “unacceptable”.
He made the comments in a call to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford today.
Taking to Twitter to confirm he had received a call to personally speak with the Prime Minister this morning, Marcus Rashford said: “Just had a good conversation with the Prime Minister.
“He has assured me that he is committed to correcting the issue with the food hampers and that a full review of the supply chain is taking place.
“He agrees that images of hampers being shared on Twitter are unacceptable.”
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Just had a good conversation with the Prime Minister. He has assured me that he is committed to correcting the issue with the food hampers and that a full review of the supply chain is taking place. He agrees that images of hampers being shared on Twitter are unacceptable.
The Prime Minister’s call and comments come after the Wythenshawe-born footballer branded the free school meal packages being sent to some children learning from home as “not good enough”, with the parcels – which have been sent to families who would normally qualify for free school meals and are now learning remotely during the national lockdown – having been criticised online by parents.
Several posts documenting the food provisions have garnered widespread attention on Twitter this week.
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One tweet at the forefront of the conversation showed a photo comprising of just a loaf of bread, some cheese, a tin of beans, two carrots, two bananas, three apples, two potatoes, a bag of pasta, three Frubes, two Soreen bars and a tomato.
It was initially suggested that the original image was meant to be £30 worth of food intended to last 10 days, with the mum who shared it claiming she could have bought it for £5 from ASDA, but following an investigation by the Department of Education – who confirmed yesterday that they are “looking into this” – catering firm Chartwells UK said the photo shows five days of school lunches at a value of £10.50.
This is still short of what they should have been providing as per government requirement.
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The shortfall and online outcry prompted Rashford to take further action, with the footballer yesterday confirming on Twitter that he spoke to Chartwells UK ahead of the the company’s meeting with the Department of Education.
In his full Twitter thread – which detailed what the government is required to provide – Rashford made sure to stress to his Twitter followers that Chartwells UK were not the only free school meals provider contracted by the government, but added that: “One thing that is clear is that there was very little communication with the suppliers that a national lockdown was coming.
“We MUST do better. Children shouldn’t be going hungry on the basis that we aren’t communicating or being transparent with plans – that is unacceptable.
“Something is going wrong and we need to fix it, quickly.”
Wanted to share key points from a conversation with @Chartwells_UK this morning. There is a meeting scheduled between Chartwells and @educationgovuk today. (1)
I have a game today so have to log off but I wanted to update you on the conversation and I look forward to hearing the outcome of the DfE meeting today.@Chartwells_UK@educationgovuk
Something is going wrong and we need to fix it, quickly! (8)
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has also said that government will “name and shame” companies providing poor quality food parcels after the several viral posts emerged.
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He told a committee of MPs that he was “absolutely disgusted” by images of the inadequate offerings, adding: “As a dad myself, I thought “how could a family in receipt of that really be expected to deliver five nutritious meals as is required?” It’s just not acceptable.”
With Prime Minister Boris Johnson today agreeing with Marcus Rashford that “images of hampers being shared on Twitter are unacceptable”, it is hoped that necessary change will be brought about in due course.
This is a BREAKING NEWS story – More to follow.
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Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues
Emily Sergeant
As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.
Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.
Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.
Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied
At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.
Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.
The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.
Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied
The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.
Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.
“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”
Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.
It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.
Featured Image – Supplied
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All students in England to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE
Emily Sergeant
All students in England are soon to be offered the chance to do a new Ukrainian GCSE.
Said to be part of the UK’s ‘enduring support’ for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people, young people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will now have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, the Government has announced.
While the qualification will be open to all students, it marks a ‘particularly significant’ milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK.
It’s hoped that the introduction of the new GCSE will help Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture, and identity.
It’s also hoped that it’ll open pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.
In line with the other modern foreign language GCSEs that are currently on offer, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
Examination board AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design what will be a ‘high-quality’ qualification reflecting the richness of Ukrainian language and culture.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, commented: “As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are.
“This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.
“Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders.”
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028 – with first assessments taking place in 2029.
Emily Sergeant -
13th January 2021 
