Press Release: Barony Campus (East Ayrshire School

Last Week (Friday 17th November 2023) Alan Brown MP visited the Barony Campus in Cumnock.

The MP was shown around the super school by Food Services Manager Chris Walker and Senior Catering Manager Kim Sloan, before serving up some fish and chips for the P1 class.

The representative for Kilmarnock and Loudoun was invited to see first-hand how East Ayrshire’s Council Catering Department operate and hear about the local authority’s fantastic half-price school meal initiative.

Since August 2023 the Council has been supporting a half-price school meal option for all paying pupils within Primary 6 and 7 and all academy pupils. This means all paying children receive a healthy meal at lunchtime for £1.08.

East Ayrshire Council Catering Department serve over 1,100 freshly prepared meals to pupils and young learners daily at the Campus. All meals are served with a selection of fresh vegetables or salad options and use a host of local suppliers for the ingredients - including Corrie Mains eggs, Fergusons bakery, Peroni fish Merchants, Spittal Fruit and Vegetables, Mossgiel Farm and Campbells Brothers Prime meat.

Mr Brown was also briefed on Mossgiel Farm supplying fresh milk to all school kitchens which are distributed into milk machines for pupils to help themselves. This has resulted in reduced the use of single-use plastic bottles by 100% an estimated 15 million single-use cartons not being used.

Commenting, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said:

“The local authority deserves so much credit for the food that is on offer for every pupil at every school in East Ayrshire.

“The accessibility of a high-quality, freshly prepared meal for paying pupils at a mere £1.08 is truly commendable, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis.

The commitment to ensuring no child goes home hungry is not only laudable but also imperative.

“It was great to hear the Council’s use of several local suppliers for their production, and everything is made fresh in-house. The employment factor was also interesting, given the fact that East Ayrshire currently has five modern apprentices working in school kitchens across the area.

“I was glad to lend a hand and dish up some lunches for the kids before being treated to my own fish and chips which was delicious.

“I would like to thank Chris and Kim for generously taking time out of their busy schedules to provide me with a comprehensive tour and discuss their operational strategies. The exceptional rapport they share with the staff truly personifies the cohesiveness of an outstanding team and the exceptional working environment they have in place there."

Also commenting, Food Services Manager Chris Walker said:

“It was a pleasure as the Food Services Manager within East Ayrshire Council to invite along Alan Brown to our Barony Campus to view first-hand the school meals service.

“Alan saw first-hand the healthy and nutritious meals that are served to over 1000 pupils each day in our Early Childhood Centre, Primary and Secondary Schools within the Campus.

“Alan showed a great interest in the preparation and delivery of the school meals service on the day of his visit even helping out with the service at the counters serving Primary school pupils their healthy lunch on the day along with a fresh cup of Mossgiel milk.”