School Food Matters founder and CEO Stephanie Slater has been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for her service to children.
She has spent the past 18 years working to help shape a school food system that offers children nutritious and sustainable meals.
The honour comes at what the national charity has described as a “pivotal moment” for the school food movement.
Last week, the government announced that it would revise the School Food Standards, alongside plans to extend the eligibility for free school meals, in a move that is set to benefit an additional 500,000 school children.
In 2007, Slater began campaigning to improve poor-quality meals at her children’s school, sparking a movement which laid the foundation for School Food Matters, which is now a leader in transforming school food across England.
Today, the charity delivers fully funded food education programmes, involving hands-on cooking, growing, and food enterprise, in 14 cities across England, reaching over 300,000 children to date.
Slater also co-chairs the School Food Alliance – a coalition of organisations committed to improving school food – and is a founding member of the School Food Review, which unites over 40 organisations working to achieve lasting improvements in the school food system.
“It is magnificent that Stephanie’s tireless work to improve the lives of school children throughout England is recognised in this honour,” said School Food Matters chair of trustees Rebecca O’Connell.
"Through its extensive grassroots work in school kitchens, canteens, classrooms and communities, School Food Matters has developed a deep understanding of the realities of school food provision and education – and mobilises this knowledge to campaign effectively at the highest levels for systemic, lasting, policy change.
“This award recognises that the charity’s growing success derives from Stephanie’s determination to actively put hope into practice, driving transformation to meet every child’s right to nutritious school food.”
No comments yet