Primary schools across the borough are to offer free breakfasts to every pupil from September.

From January 2020 meanwhile, students at Fulham College Boys' School, seen in these pictures, and Woodlane High School in Shepherd's Bush will be offered free lunches. This scheme, part of a four year pilot programme, is being paid for by community contributions paid by local property developers.

H&F Council says the two new schemes are part of its ground-breaking approach to tackle food poverty.

Headteachers have welcomed the new initiative. Sally Brooks, Headteacher at Fulham College Boys' School, said: "The impact of free school lunches for our students – especially those who are disadvantaged – will be immeasurable.

" Providing the boys with a nutritious meal will not only allow them to compete in an academic environment, but will also give them the nutrition needed to go above and beyond what is required of them at school and actively participate in extra-curricular activities."

Claire Maynard, Headteacher at Woodlane High School in White City, said: “We’re delighted to be part of H&F’s efforts to tackle child poverty. The pilot means our most vulnerable pupils can always gain a hot, nutritious meal without stigma.

"While it is widely known that hunger can impact on progress, attainment and behaviour, the impact on families is likely to prove a significant boost in challenging financial times."

The council says the national free school meal system is not working. The threshold for families to receive school meals is too high and the stigma of receiving a school meal is damaging to children and their families.

In the UK, having one parent in paid work usually makes families ineligible for free school meals. Yet the majority of Londoners in poverty are in a working family – with almost 10% of poor families having two parents in full-time work.

A recent report by University College of London and Child Poverty Action Group documents the 'stigma and shame' of free school meals.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: "We all want children to get the most out of their education. But research we published with UCL shows that too many kids are routinely going hungry during the school day because there isn’t enough money at home. That isn’t right.

"Poverty and hunger exclude children from some learning and social opportunities and leave them exposed to stigma and shame. H&F’s pilot recognises the scale of the problem and strives to address it head on."

The new universal breakfast scheme means H&F will now fund all primary schools who provide school breakfast clubs to make them free to parents.

The council says it will also support primary schools to increase uptake in existing breakfast clubs and increase outreach with parents to feed more children in need.

"It’s appalling that children are still going to school hungry in one of the world’s wealthiest capitals," said Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham. "We must put an end to that. Our schools are now the frontline in our war against hunger."

It's claimed that a free breakfast club offer could save a struggling family £380 per year for every child in primary school.

H&F adds that it is working with schools, volunteer organisations and local businesses to rise to the challenge as a key aim in the council’s Industrial Strategy to harness the economic prosperity of our booming borough.

Among other initiatives are the H&F independent Poverty and Worklessness Commission, set up to find the causes of poverty in the borough, and to develop bold new ways of tackling them and Rose Vouchers, a scheme to help people on low incomes to get fresh fruit and vegetables from local traders. It also shares tips on health eating.

Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank provides help and support to those in need in the borough. That includes emergency food parcels, and advice or referrals to other organisations to help families in food poverty.

June 14, 2019