Fundraiser To Feed Vulnerable Schoolchildren

A mum who is raising money to buy food vouchers for vulnerable secondary school children says she now wants 'the government to stand up and take notice'.

Audrey-Laurens Chalmers and her daughter Mollie were spurred into action after the States Assembly rejected extending the school meal pilot to all primaries.

Audrey, who thinks all schoolchildren should get free school meals, is supporting Caring Cooks' Flourish Programme.

She hopes to raise £5,000, which would pay for more than 1200 healthy meals.

Donations to her crowdfunding page have exceeded £4,000 in a just a couple of days.

She says she was inspired to help further after seeing the effect of donating shoes to vulnerable children in a deprived area of Birmingham.

"It's well known that a lot of people have lost their jobs as a result of this pandemic that we're experiencing and some people that would normally be able to give their children a healthy diet aren't any longer able to do it.

"I think for us in Jersey, it's absolutely ridiculous the amount of people who could easily afford to help and do absolutely nothing at all.

"What I have found from the (fundraising) page so far - the comments I'm getting - some people I don't think were aware of the situation and they're horrified that there are children here who are going hungry."

Caring Cooks works with Haute Vallee, Grainville, Les Quennevais, and Hautlieu, and will fund vouchers for £3.90 to be given to these schools.

The States rejected the opportunity to extend the pilot beyond Janvrin and Samares primary schools from September 2021.

The government said the pilot should be allowed to finish, so data can be gathered to create the best possible service going forward.

There were also concerns that some schools may not be have the necessary facilities in time for the next school year, and the cost of staffing, training and recruiting those needed to get the programme extended.

You can find Audrey's crowdfunding page here. 

Caring Cooks has previously called on Jersey's community to pull together to make sure no child in Jersey goes hungry.