Education Today Education Today Magazine
A thriving working relationship between a London-based school and a catering company has led to a series of events to sustain and support the school community.
Ark King Solomon Academy and Accent Catering have collaborated to provide a community meal in the school dining hall for students at the school and their parents, guardians and grandparents over seven Monday evenings since January. Up to 100 people have attended each event to date, and more are planned for the future.
The school-based community meals are part of CanTeam, an initiative under Future Foundations, to transform school canteens into vibrant community hubs that improve educational and nutritional outcomes for young people and their families by supporting schools to offer an afterschool food programme. CanTeam’s goal is to create a sustainable solution to food insecurity, encourage healthy eating, and enable young people to learn and thrive.
Thanks to funding from the Raheem Sterling Foundation and the Reuben Foundation, as well as a grant from Big Change Education Challenge, these meals have been delivered at no cost to the school, at a time when school budgets are squeezed and families are struggling to pay for food.
Gabby Woolf, Vice-Principal (Operations) of Ark King Solomon Academy, said: “We are grateful for the support we’ve received to run these CanTeam events at Ark King Solomon Academy. Schools are uniquely positioned to bring communities together and our families have shared how much they have enjoyed socialising over a delicious meal. Thank you to the Accent Catering team for their enthusiasm for this project as it has made all the difference.”
