Fans Museum founder blasts decision not to extend free school meals scheme

A Labour motion calling for the free meals scheme to be extended over school holidays until Easter next year was defeated by 261 votes to 322 in the Commons on Wednesday, October 21, with five Conservative MPs rebelling to vote with the Opposition.

Michael Ganley, founder of Sunderland’s Fans’ Museum, has seen for himself how important free school meals are.

When the coronavirus lockdown first started and the Monkwearmouth attraction was forced to close its doors, Michael and a small group of volunteers from the museum spent weeks delivering dozens of meals a day on behalf of the nearby Fulwell Junior School.

Then, after the Government’s voucher scheme for parents was launched, they delivered food to residents who were self-isolating in Gentoo social housing and sheltered accommodation across the city.

But with the half-term holiday starting next week, the team will not be carrying out any more schools deliveries.

“We are not doing anything so far – we have not been approached by anybody,” said Michael.

"If we are, we will do whatever we can do.”

“We did it for five months last time – we did it for 21 weeks and for ten weeks we did not receive any funding.

“We did not get any funding support from day one.”

Financial support to cover the cost of fuel and keeping the museum’s minibus on the road eventually arrived in the form of a donation from npower.

Michael, who has worked with the city council and Gentoo to create a coronavirus memorial garden in the museum’s grounds, said the Government’s decision not to extend the free meals scheme through the holidays was ‘pretty disappointing’.

"They have not got their priorities in place,” he said. “Why should kids nowadays be going without food?”

Some MPs have argued that providing free meals during the holidays encourages families to become dependent on the state – but Michael said it as wrong to punish children for their parents’ fault.

“There are neglectful parents out there – there always will be,” he said. “But it is not the children’s fault.”

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