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Rushda has a strong commitment to food justice. As a Free School Meals recipient, she is passionate about ensuring all children have access to nutritious food. She firmly believes that no one is ever too young to make a difference or help build a better future. Rushda actively supports in every way she can, from contributing to campaigns and research, to engaging with media and policymakers. She is committed to creating positive change for her community and beyond. Through her work, Rushda hopes to inspire others to believe in their own power to make a difference, no matter their age.
Grace is committed to improving the nation’s health, especially in communities where low-quality food is common. She speaks from personal experience about the difficulties she and her younger sister face with school meals, including issues around affordability and nutrition. Grace believes that young people have an important role to play in building a fairer food system. She is passionate about addressing the inequalities that exist and making sure every child, no matter their background, has access to healthy and nutritious food.
Alex is passionate about making sure every child has access to healthy, nutritious food at school. He speaks from personal experience about the challenges children and families face, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds when trying to access support. As a young person with lived experience, Alex wants to see a food system that supports every child to thrive. He believes no child should have their future determined by what’s on their plate, and is committed to speaking up for fairness, dignity and opportunity for all.
Penny is a dedicated food activist and community leader. She runs a local community supermarket and is actively involved in grassroots work supporting families who are struggling to get by. Drawing from her own experience of food insecurity, Penny speaks powerfully about the connection between poverty, diet, and long-term health. She believes everyone deserves access to nutritious food and is a passionate voice for change in her community. Penny was awarded a BEM in 2024 for her services to the Byker community.
Dan is a proud dad to his National Diversity Award winning daughter Emily who is a wheelchair user. On top of being a carer, children’s author, columnist, and broadcaster on the issues of Disability and care, he is also a policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK. Dan is also neurodivergent and speaks about the challenges of having hidden disabilities in a disabling society.
Caroline is a mum to three children and takes part in a lot of our work, bringing warmth, creativity and lived experience to everything she does while managing serious health issues. She also home-schools her youngest child, who has learning difficulties and ASD, and balances this with a wide range of creative passions including baking, crafts and DIY. As a child, she cared for her ill parent and experienced significant food insecurity. Caroline is passionate about creating change, especially for families facing similar challenges.
I’ve seen how access to food shapes every part of a young person’s life, from personal wellbeing to health and educational outcomes. My interest in advocacy started from lived experience, noticing the quiet but constant ways that food insecurity affects opportunity. Alongside wider work in policy and youth leadership, I want to help centre young voices in conversations that often overlook them. This role is a chance to push for a fairer system: one where healthy food isn’t a luxury, but a baseline.
