MPs ‘Moo-ve’ to Support Free Milk in Schools

News Release

27th November 2013

World School Milk Day 2013 has been hailed a huge success after over 157 schools and nurseries across the UK were visited by their local MPs.

A total of 150 MPs, which equates to almost a quarter of all the MPs in the UK, visited schools and nurseries in their constituencies as part of a three-month campaign to mark World School Milk Day.

Celebrated each year by 30 different countries all over the globe World School Milk Day takes place on the last Wednesday in September. In the UK, MPs across the country were invited by Cool Milk to act as milk monitors for the day, handing out free milk and teaching children about the nutritional benefits it provides.

One of those who took part was Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, who visited Gascoigne Children’s Centre Nursery in Barking on Friday 27th September.

She explained: “I’m really pleased to be supporting World School Milk Day. Milk is full of calcium and protein and is great for promoting healthy teeth and bones. That means it’s great for children who are growing up.”

She was joined in promoting the benefits of milk by other high profile MPs including Norman Lamb, Minister of State at the Department of Health; Edward Timpson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families and Sharon Hodgson, the Shadow Minister for Education.

World School Milk Day is funded in the UK by Cool Milk, which provides milk to over 800,000 children every day. Managing Director, John Sedgwick said he is delighted so many MPs volunteered to take part.

“This year’s World School Milk Day campaign has been extremely well supported and we thank all the schools, nurseries and members of parliament for their involvement,” said John.

“School milk is a staple part of early childhood and it is vital that as many children as possible throughout the UK benefit from the scheme and the invaluable health benefits milk provides.”

In the UK, milk is free for children in day care or primary education for two hours or more under the age of five, and subsidised for pupils aged five to 11.

For more information about World School Milk Day, please visit www.worldschoolmilkday.com

Notes to Editor:

• Cool Milk is theUK’s leading school milk supplier, working in partnership with local authorities and early years groups to supply free and subsidised school milk to children in pre-schools, nurseries, and primary schools across theUK.

• The 1944 Education Act introduced a free milk clause which gave a free glass (1/3 pint) of milk to all school children in theUnited Kingdomunder the age of 18. Today, under the Welfare Food Scheme run by the Department of Health, under-fives are still eligible for free school milk. Milk is also subsidised for school children aged five to 11 by the European Union under the European school milk scheme.

• It is recognised that there are a wide range of health benefits from drinking milk. 

Kate Strawson
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
kate@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @KateStrawson

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