Kay Badley, who owns G.N. Badley & Sons butchers in Gibbons Road, Trench, has welcomed the healthier menu for Lawley Primary School unveiled this week and has committed to signing Jamie Oliver’s petition for change.

Mrs Badley said: “I heard about the new menu at Lawley Primary and Jamie Oliver’s petition - both of which are great initiatives which we fully support.

“We do not supply meat for the school meals in Telford but we welcome this move as it reflects our values at Badley’s, we are committed to making the best products we can and ensuring our customers make healthy choices.

“As a business in the town that cares about healthy eating, we would encourage other food outlets across Telford and Shropshire to consider what it is they are offering - or we hope Jamie Oliver’s suggestion to educate children in food could help them make healthy choices when they leave school.

“Our meat is as lean as possible, with some varieties at just five to eight per cent fat content.
“We are clear about what is included - people just need to be aware what they are buying and eating and we welcome any moves to improve this.”

The new menu at Lawley Primary School, which will be implemented next term, offers more variety for students following feedback from parents.

It includes a meat and vegetarian option, selection of vegetables, salad bar and as well as the main pudding choice it includes fresh fruit, cheese and crackers and organic yoghurt.

Carol Mcquiggin, headteacher at Lawley Primary School, said: "Parents and carers had commented that previous menus seemed too fast food like and that the healthy aspect wasn’t that clear.
“So we set up a committee of pupils to look at it, asking them questions and for their advice about what they and their friends would like to see.

"We are very pleased with the outcome and our menu is more descriptive on choices and how the food is prepared.
“We hope this will encourage pupils to take up the lunchtime meal as their parent or carer will feel more confident in the product - it is based on

home cooking.

"For a number of years we have worked with Telford & Wrekin Council to make sure the menu is as healthy as possible and this new menu is an extension of that, more choice will mean a more healthy diet for pupils full of variety. It is something very important to us."

In addition, Mr Oliver said it was shocking that worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980 and action needs to be taken to deal with the problem.

He has launched a petition on the change.org website urging the governments of the G20 countries to give youngsters practical food education in school.

His petition says that 42 million children in the world under the age of five are either overweight or obese.

Mrs Badley added: “We will be signing this petition, most definitely.

“It is an important issue and we will back any sort of action calling for healthy eating.

“We have a bakery, promote barbecues and of course meat, but one of our main concerns is making sure people know exactly what it is they are eating and can make healthy choices.”

G. N. Badley & Sons has been in business for 39 years. For more information on the latest products call 0808 901 2110, email info@gnbadleyandsons.co.uk or visit the website www.gnbadleyandsons.co.uk.