A really sad story in the news today was research indicating that UK has a child hunger crisis. According to Net Mums and Kids Company, 1 million children live in homes without enough to eat. The forthcoming summer holidays is real problem for these families as children rely on free school dinners as their only meal of the day.
Hungry children is not an epidemic as it is in some developing countries but a 223% increase in the last 12 months due to the economic climate in the UK is frightening. I just cannot believe it.
Statistics from a 1,116 people surveyed indicated that three in five parents know local families where children are going hungry because their parents cannot afford to buy all the food they need, while more than half are aware of parents whose abuse of drugs or alcohol means they are not feeding their children. Chaotic parenting and chronic neglect for whatever reasons are the root in the poorest of homes. In some areas 88 per cent of head teachers surveyed said poor nutrition was having a damaging impact in their school. One in four inner city schools said three-quarters of all pupils were affected by lack of food. Is this Britain we are talking about?
Coming from a family where food and eating is central to the family unit, I shudder to hear about children stealing frozen meat and eating it and rummaging through bins to find leftovers. It just reminds of Oliver.
Kids Company have a £2 plate pledge to feed hungry children with a target of 580,000 plates.
Bunty
