Gianna was on Free School Meals, she studies nutrition at school, so is passionate about making sure all children both get enough food and that it is good quality. Gianna believes any remaining credit on Free School Meal cards should be rolled over accumulated, so children have more opportunity buy the more expensive, healthier options at the school canteen.
Debbie wants to change the food environment for children in cities, which in more deprived areas often offers lots of cheap, unhealthy options and not enough fresh, healthy food that’s affordable for families.
Ryan is a politically minded campaigner, acting as a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and advocating for children in care. He is very strong speaking on the policy changes needed to protect children’s right to healthy and affordable food, and wants to make sure the good practice taking place in Scotland in relation to the monitoring of school food is adopted throughout the UK.
Robyn saw at school and college that lunches aren’t always the best quality and often lacked variety, showing a need for better monitoring to deliver better standards. She advocates for shifting the balance so healthier food is not more expensive or harder to find than unhealthy food.
Jani has grown up in a single-parent home and has felt the brunt of a diet based on cheaper processed foods like pizzas and little to no fruit and vegetables. She speaks out about hunger affecting young people’s concentration at school and preventing them from achieving their goals, like playing sport, due to lack of energy.
Asha understands the need for more support for low income single-parent families at risk of food poverty and campaigns passionately about the lifeline provided by Free School Meals, and the need for schools to be “poverty proofed” – e.g. for free water to be available for all children at schools.
As well as being a Food Ambassador, Dev is Chair of the Leicester Young City Council and recently won the Diana award for his food poverty activism. Dev often speaks out on holiday hunger and Free School Meals himself. He feels strongly about the influence that junk food advertising on young people.