Teen’s appeal to Prime Minister: Please give us free school meals during half-term

A teenager has pleaded with the government to provide free school meals during half-term next week – and more than 80,000 people have backed her, including chef Jamie Oliver.

Christina Adane, 16, from the Oval, started a Change.org petition calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to abandon her and the other 1.3 million UK children eligible for free school meals.

The government provided meal vouchers to the most disadvantaged families over the Easter holidays, but currently plans to scrap this support during the May half-term and the summer break. 

Christina, pictured above, said: “I started this campaign because I have seen the impact of free school meals, so I know they are the difference between whether many young people eat or not.

“Now we’re told they will be taken away during the school holidays. I hope this shows the Prime Minister that these are a lifeline and that he won’t abandon children across the UK by taking away free school meals.”