• Support Wokingham Today
  • Get the print edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Wokingham.Today
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • All
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
    • Riseley
    • Shinfield
    • Sindlesham
    • Sonning
    • Spencers Wood
    • Swallowfield
    • Three Mile Cross
    • Twyford
    • Wargrave
    • Winnersh
    • Wokingham
    • Wokingham Without
    • Woodley
    • Woosehill
    • Yateley
    Clive Jones being sworn in as MP for Wokingham on Tuesday. Pic: BBC.

    MP: ‘Protect free school meals out of term time’

    Wokingham MP, Clive Jones. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    MP calls for more evening trains

    MP Yuam Yang outside the takeaway.

    MP says sorry for social media post

    Noise and floodlighting would impact the location, it was argued. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Earley sports pitch plans in the floodlight

    The restaurant promises to be a 'vibrant' location and social hub.

    Date set for new restaurant opening

    Berkshire Football awards.

    Football in Berkshire shortlist revealed

    Party in the Park 2025. Pic by Stewart Turkington.

    Rain didn’t dampen party spirits as Elms Field hosts Wokingham’s Party in the Park

    Longshot Lane in Bracknell. Pic: Google.

    More fines for heavy vehicles

    Wokingham MP Clive Jones Picture: Andrew Batt

    MP to talk about his first year

  • SPORT
    • All
    • Binfield FC
    • Reading FC
    Noise and floodlighting would impact the location, it was argued. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Earley sports pitch plans in the floodlight

    Berkshire Football awards.

    Football in Berkshire shortlist revealed

    Chem Campbell

    Reading FC miss out on transfer target to fellow League One club

    Mark Bowen

    Former head of football at Reading FC lands new job

    Peter Markwick

    It’s top of the championship for Wokingham racing driver

    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

    Reading FC

    Reading FC to host Swindon Town and Oxford United in pre-season friendlies

    Reading FC fans

    Reading FC chairman Rob Couhig gives update on season ticket sales

    Golf Picture: Pixabay

    Unique Golf Club celebrates 50th anniversary with publication of a history book

  • READING FC
  • COMMUNITY
    Clive Jones being sworn in as MP for Wokingham on Tuesday. Pic: BBC.

    MP: ‘Protect free school meals out of term time’

    MP Yuam Yang outside the takeaway.

    MP says sorry for social media post

    Noise and floodlighting would impact the location, it was argued. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Earley sports pitch plans in the floodlight

    The restaurant promises to be a 'vibrant' location and social hub.

    Date set for new restaurant opening

    Berkshire Football awards.

    Football in Berkshire shortlist revealed

    Longshot Lane in Bracknell. Pic: Google.

    More fines for heavy vehicles

    Wokingham MP Clive Jones Picture: Andrew Batt

    MP to talk about his first year

    There's support for people with dementia, at a singing Memory Lane cafe in Tilehurst and Wokingham. Picture: Remi Walle via Unsplash

    Carers afternoon in Twyford offers information and fun

    Blackcroft Farm, between Arborfield and Farley Hill,

    Plans for 650 homes near Arborfield revealed

  • LIFESTYLE
    • All
    • Food
    • Health
    • Obituaries
    • People
    MP Yuam Yang outside the takeaway.

    MP says sorry for social media post

    The restaurant promises to be a 'vibrant' location and social hub.

    Date set for new restaurant opening

    Party in the Park 2025. Pic by Stewart Turkington.

    Rain didn’t dampen party spirits as Elms Field hosts Wokingham’s Party in the Park

    Wokingham MP Clive Jones Picture: Andrew Batt

    MP to talk about his first year

    MICHAEL TATLOW DARLISON

    Jenni Donato.

    Wokingham businesswoman nominated for award

    Ascot Top Hats is based in Wokingham.

    Ten tips for a top day at Royal Ascot

    Over 350,000 people in the region had been treated for seven common conditions without the need to visit a GP since the programme was launched in January last year.

    Pharmacy First initiative sees over 350,000 consultations in first year

    Thames Valley Air Ambulance Picture: MICHAEL MOLLOY

    Thames Valley Air Ambulance urges people to ‘summer safely’

  • WHAT’S ON
    • All
    • Arts
    • Entertainment
    1871 EVENTS PRESENTS: Jimmy Quinn

    Reading FC legend Jimmy Quinn to share his memories of title success and Wembley heartbreak

    RaW Sounds celebrates five years of championing local music

    Party in the Park on Saturday.

A balcony view.

    Get ready for Party in the Park

    Marvellous is a tribute act festival. Pic: WBC.

    A Marvellous tribute at Dinton

    Double Standards

    New play ‘Double Standards’ at South Streets Art Centre to explore hypocrisy in dating

    Wokingham Pride

    Could you help Wokingham Pride 2025?

    REVIEW: “Three Hens In A Boat” at The Watermill Theatre

    Siren RG1

    Siren RG1 to mark first anniversary with weekender celebration

    Wellington Farm Shop

    Wellington Farm Shop celebrates its 20th anniversary

  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
No Result
View All Result
Wokingham.Today
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Wokingham Borough Council pledges to provide Free School Meals during lockdown

by Charlotte King
January 15, 2021
in Featured, Politics
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

AS PUPILS continue to learn from home during lockdown, the government has pledged to continue providing Free School Meals to eligible children – but some are concerned about the contents of their food parcels.

England has been in lockdown since January 5, and the government has instructed schools to arrange weekly provisions of food parcels or vouchers worth up to £15.

Schools can also claim an extra £3.50 for each student’s weekly lunch parcel to compensate for the additional cost of providing food at home.

What does the scheme look like in Wokingham borough?

In Wokingham borough, there were 2,185 children and young people enrolled on the Free School Meals scheme as of October 2020.

Following the lockdown announcement, Wokingham Borough Council pledged to continue to arrange provisions for pupils at home, with fortnightly hampers or food vouchers for eligible families.

“This third lockdown is hard on all of us, but it is especially difficult on families with school age children,” said Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services.

Related posts

BIN-GO on hold as Wokingham Borough Council pauses plan to reduce bin emptying and grass cutting schedules

Wokingham Borough Council leader’s pledge to provide free school meals through to at least May next year

“We want to ensure we support our families as best we can, and one of the ways to do this is to ensure all those children who would normally get free school meals if they were at school are still getting healthy and nutritious food.”

Cllr Clark says the council is offering food vouchers worth £90 which can be used at various supermarkets across Wokingham borough. They are intended to provide six weeks’ worth of lunches.

“We have also been working with our free school meals provider, Caterlink to create fortnightly hampers of food with recipe cards that can be delivered to eligible families if they prefer this to the vouchers,” she added.

“We are currently reviewing the hampers to ensure they provide nutritious meals for the children and are good value.

“We have also offered schools who do not use our free school meals provider the opportunity to join our scheme during the lockdown, if that would help them.”

The hampers have not yet been distributed, and daily packed lunches are being offered as an interim solution to all schools.

34 of the 69 schools in Wokingham borough are using Caterlink’s services.

Why has the Free School Meals scheme faced criticism?

However, the Free Schools Meals provided to eligible pupils during this lockdown have recently come under fire – including hampers from Wokingham Borough Council’s contractor, Caterlink.

Parents up and down the country have suggested the food parcels do not provide enough food for a week’s worth of lunches, and Caterlink says it has “immediately reviewed” the parcels and “enhanced the contents”.

The government has also announced that those who have received an “inadequate” lunch parcel between Monday, January 4, and Saturday, January 16, can claim for a locally arranged food voucher.

Matt Rodda, MP for Reading East, says he is “very disappointed” with the government’s support provisions for families in need.

“It worries me deeply that the Government is putting families last at this difficult time,” he said.

“I’d like a complete rethink from the government on how it supports families, including extending more generous universal credit.”

Gavin Williamson, secretary of state for education, says the government’s national voucher scheme to replace Free School Meals will return on Monday, January 18.

This scheme ran throughout the first national lockdown, and gives schools freedom to choose whether they provide lunch parcels or food vouchers.

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: free school mealsfree school meals Wokingham Borough Councilwokingham borough council newswokingham free school meals
Previous Post

PREVIEW: Reading Women v Arsenal- Royals look for redemption after heavy defeat

Next Post

Rams’ legends fundraiser to improve school facilities at Maiden Erlegh

FOLLOW US

POPULAR THIS WEEK

Ascot Top Hats is based in Wokingham.

Ten tips for a top day at Royal Ascot

June 10, 2025
Hurst Bowling Club, in an idyllic village setting, is England's second oldest club, and possibly its friendliest. Pictures: Emma Merchant

Why ‘England’s friendliest bowling club’ needs a new clubhouse

June 6, 2025
One Step Behind will perform at Wokingham Music Club on Friday, June 13. Picture: WMC

Last chance to go mad at Wokingham Music Club

June 8, 2025
Dr Stephen Burt from the Univeristy of Reading compares this year's spring weather with previous records. Picture: Tim Hill via Pixabay

How warm and dry was this spring?

June 6, 2025
Wokingham Lions will be accepting old pairs of glasses, hearing aids, coins, stamps and bras, at their stall in the Twford Donkey Derby. Picture: Wokingham Lions Club

Feed the Lions at the Twyford Donkey Derby

June 8, 2025
In memory of her brother, Ethan, Martha leapt from 15,000 feet over Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury, along with dad Justin, 18-year-old brother Finlay and seven of Ethan?s friends. Picture: Brain Tumour Research

Martha flies high in memory of her brother

June 7, 2025

ABOUT US

Wokingham Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Wokingham. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Wokingham Borough.

Wokingham.Today is a Social Enterprise and aims to ensure that everyone within the Borough has free access to independent and up-to-date news. However, providing this service is not without costs. If you are able to, please make a contribution to support our work.

CONTACT US

[email protected]

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Support Us
  • Book Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: [email protected], or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Arborfield
    • Barkham
    • Beech Hill
    • Binfield
    • Bracknell
    • Charvil
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
    • Emmbrook
    • Finchampstead
    • Grazeley
    • Henley
    • Hurst
    • Lower Earley
    • Norreys
    • Reading
    • Remenham
  • COMMUNITY
  • LIFESTYLE
  • SPORT
  • READING FC
  • OBITUARIES
  • WHAT’S ON
  • JOBS
  • PHOTOS
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • CONTACT US
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION
  • SUPPORT US

© 2022 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.