National School Meals Week (NSMW) 2013

National School Meals Week 2013

National School Meals Week 2013, which runs November 4-8, is designed to enable school caterers to use the event as their focal point to promote all that is great about their industry. This year the key aim for NSMW is very simple, for caterers to encourage as many children as possible to have a meal during the week.

To improve the chance of this happening, LACA is encouraging caterers to consider if this meal can be provided at no cost to the pupil.

This would then make NSMW the biggest trialing exercise for school meals ever undertaken in England and Wales and highlight to all those enjoying a meal everything that is ‘great about school lunches’ – hence we have sub branded NSMW as ‘the great school lunch’. It does what it says on the tin, so to speak.

We recognise that for some caterers this may not be possible, but if you can, the benefits and potential for ongoing customers thereafter are enormous.

This year NSMW is also being used to launch LACA’s marketing toolkit, which will provide members with continuing access to promotional resources throughout the year.

But NSMW is about more than just promotions. It is important the event not only adds interest to lunchtime, but also works to raise the profile of the industry, LACA and its members and, in doing so, creates interesting and informative messages that will resonate with the target audience.

So far, and in a very short time, LACA has secured:

1. A Media Partner – Trinity Mirror is the second largest publisher in Europe (online, in the press and in the Primary Times magazine) it is behind the event and the message

2. A slot in front of the ‘All Party Parliamentary Group’ of MPs on June 12th to put forward the case to financially support a free trial of school meals for all during NSMW

3. An invite to the House of Commons to serve a school lunch to all MPs (and aides) on June 26th - straight after Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs). This is priceless, and supporting MPs will be photographed and pictures sent to all relevant local papers creating great PR for the industry - all happening four months before NSMW even takes place

4. A meeting with the National Assembly for Wales to secure a similar event

5. Support from a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

6. Premiership football clubs are currently starting to sign up, Manchester United being the first

Plus much more.......

More information is available on the National School Meals Week website showing how caterers, suppliers, schools, parents and pupils can get involved in the event.

To maximise support and to fully fund a free meal, the industry would benefit from Government investment, hence the lobbying. Clearly the message is being heard and there is enthusiasm behind it as demonstrated by the House of Commons accepting our offer to provide a school meal.

For many MPs enjoying their school lunch on June 26th, it will probably be the first they have had for many years.

Once they have recognised how good the meals are, we will be making them fully aware that that is exactly what we are looking to achieve on a national scale with NSMW and asking them to create awareness of NSMW in their constituencies and support our approach for funding for the free trial.

To promote the industry in general, LACA are embarking on an ambitious campaign to raise funds for numerous advertising articles, supplements, inserts and the like to run from July through to November in all forms of media. Trinity Mirror has put resources at our disposal to help with this task.

We are also asking everyone to show their support for the industry by signing up as School Meals Ambassadors (click on www.nsmw.org.uk/register-your-support) and help spread good news messages about all that is great about school lunches.

If you are a supplier to the industry and wish to be involved in the many opportunities available please contact mail@elygra.co.uk or call 01244 399900 for further information.

Nigel Argyle
Elygra Marketing Services

Plans are in progress and more details will follow here shortly.