Lee Waters has promised to keep working to improve the health and education of all children in the Llanelli constituency.
During a visit at the start of this school term, Llanelli’s Member of the Senedd was treated to a lunch of fishfingers, beans and chips at Ysgol y Castell in Kidwelly. He also met the school’s cooks and lunchtime staff.
Sitting down to dinner with the primary school pupils, Mr. Waters took the opportunity to chat with them about the free school meals programme.
This initiative, which was started in 2021 as part of Welsh Government’s plan to fight child poverty, has now been completed. Nearly 30 million meals have been served already, and with this new rollout, an additional 176,000 pupils are eligible.
Lee Waters said:
“It was great to join pupils for lunch at Ysgol y Castell and to see every child up to year 6 getting a free school meal. I’m proud that Wales is the first UK nation to offer such a big step towards making sure all children have access to healthy food while they learn!”
“This support also eases financial pressure on families and promotes a sense of community among pupils.”
The Welsh Government are now reviewing the rules about what food and drinks can be served in schools, including the nutritional value of school lunches. Local authorities are also being helped and encouraged to buy food from local sources whenever they can.
Llanelli’s MS added:
“I’m excited about the steps we’re taking to improve food in our schools. It’s important that our youngsters have healthy meals to help them learn and grow, which is why defining what makes a school lunch nutritious is vitally important. I am keen to continue looking at ways in which local children can continue to be supported in their wellbeing and their education.”
The Welsh Government are also encouraging local authorities to buy food from local sources to support local farmers.
