Over 50,000 free school meals have been served to children in York as part of the city’s York Hungry Minds campaign since it started in 2024.
York Community Fund’s York Hungry Minds Appeal was set up in a bid to address disadvantage and the impact of the cost of living crisis, responding to national evidence suggesting that providing children with healthy, nourishing food can make a significant difference to school attendance, concentration and learning and their physical and mental wellbeing.
Westfield Primary Community School pupils were the first school to benefit from the free school meals in January 2024, with Burton Green Primary School pupils receiving free breakfasts later that month and Fishergate Primary School joining the pilot in March 2025.
Around 50 children now attend the free breakfast sessions at Burton Green every day, with school staff reporting a significant improvement in pupils’ attendance and punctuality as a result of the breakfast offer.
Ash McGann, Principal at the school said:
There is a family atmosphere [at the breakfast club] where older children play games with younger children. Children are more focussed and motivated as they have eaten a nutritious meal and also had time with their friends before the structure of lessons.”
Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
There is a wealth of national evidence supporting the positive impact of universal free school meals and it is so heartening to hear about the impact the pilots are having for school pupils in York.
“Universal Free School Meals are about so much more than food, as the breakfast offer at Burton Green Primary School is showing. Ensuring that children are well fed with healthy, nutritious food, helps children to attend school regularly and concentrate fully in their lessons, which will support their learning and success in school as they grow up.”
Cllr Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said:
I am absolutely delighted that we’ve been able to provide 50,000 meals to children in York through the York Hungry Minds initiative. I’d like to thank all those involved in helping to get the universal free school meal pilots up and running, including school and education staff, city partners and the children and their families, who have helped to make the pilots such a positive part of their school day.”
The free school meals campaign is part of the council’s wider commitment both to address affordability challenges and to ensure that good health and wellbeing is prioritised as early as possible in residents’ lives – part of the council’s four year plan – One City for all.
The meals have been made possible thanks to funding from the council and donations to the York Community Fund’s York Hungry Minds Appeal.