New school meals contract announced

5.53.22pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 23rd Jul 2007

Richmond Council has announced a new contract to provide hot meals in the borough's primary and special schools with Sodexho.

The company was chosen following a tendering process in which the schools worked with the Council to find a provider who would deliver healthy, balanced food at a competitive price. From September the menus they will offer in the borough's 36 primary and two special schools will fully meet the Government's rigorous nutritional standards and ensure that children receive a balanced diet of fresh food. Sodexho has over 50 years' experience of providing food in educational establishments and has the resources to guarantee the highest standards of catering in schools in Richmond upon Thames.

Cllr Malcolm Eady, Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Education, said:

"When Scolarest said that they no longer wanted to provide meals in our schools, we were keen to ensure that their replacement would deliver the best service we could find. Working with schools we have acted swiftly and are delighted to enter this partnership with Sodexho to provide children in the borough's primary and special schools with the quality, balanced meals that they need to perform at their best throughout the day. The Council is committed to improving the health and well-being of young people through initiatives including the Healthy Schools programme, and providing nutritious school meals is central to this."