Over the last 10 years people have asked me ‘Why’ have you spent this much time on your personal war on poverty and in equalities?  I reply that poverty is the single largest contributor to under achievement, therefore, it is essential that those of us who can support others do so. And, most importantly provide that support in a way that people are not stigmatised.

As the founder of the 5+5 a day I have subsequently spent those last ten years working with schools’ members of parliament and other agencies and collectively  implemented food provision for children living in absolute and relative poverty. Moreover, promoting healthy eating and the other core messages into the daily routines of children and young people and the wider communities.

It is argued that there are many contributing factors which lead families into a life of poverty, and for many individuals hard to escape, such as; welfare reform, increasing unemployment and intergenerational poverty.

Therefore, The 5+5 a day CIC was founded to provide relief to children young people and their families who struggle to acquire their basic daily needs.

The program ‘provides a sustainable solution to a serious problem’.

The program was first implemented in New Zealand and provided free breakfast and lunches to children in the low decile communities. Unlike the UK at that time the government didn’t provide school lunches to the vulnerable children therefore this work was deemed essential at the time. However, in 2018 this all changed with a shift in welfare provision and children now receive a lunch provided by the government.

Over time the program has been adapted to the need’s of the community where the program lead implements a program.

Poverty and inequality are ongoing and universal issues, therefore, my core vision for the 5+5 a day becoming a national, and then a global initiative.

The current poverty levels in the United Kingdom (UK) have been identified by many as unacceptable, considering we are the fifth richest country in the world (IMF, 2017).  This situation is particularly harsh for children and young people with nearly half of whom live in working households.

In 2010 there was cross party support for the Child Poverty Act with its commitment to eradicate child poverty (CPAG, 2020). There were also assurances from the then prime minister David Cameron that he would: ‘transform the life chances of the poorest in our country and offer every child who has hada difficult start the promise of a brighter future’ (2016).

However, the relentless commitment to austerity policies has simply exacerbated poverty levels Food banks have been a widespread and growing response to food poverty and prior to the implementation of austerity policies in the UK, food
banks were arguably  largely unknown. Furthermore, and recently in these unprecedented times brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic the UK.