Sutton pushes school meals

Catering managers in the London Borough of Sutton are hoping to give school meals uptake a boost with the help of Grublin, a cartoon character aimed at primary pupils.

Grublin will be visiting 42 schools throughout this academic year, focusing particularly on the nutritional benefits of school meals.

Andrew Lee, head of Sutton Catering Services, the direct service organisation (DSO) that has operated the contract since 1990, said uptake currently stood at about 50% of pupils, 15% up on last year.

"We want to increase uptake still further and Grublin was commissioned to educate youngsters and to encourage their parents to take up the service," said Mr Lee.

Grublin is also intended to combat the effects of a 5% rise in meal prices being introduced by the council this term - the price of a primary school meal is currently £1.

Last year, the DSO introduced fast food operations with healthy choices to cope with the ending of subsidies for secondary school meals. The Sutton school meals contract is due for renewal next September.