Sir This week at the BBC Good Food Show more than 6,000 people, including a host of celebrity chefs, queued up to sign a petition to put pressure on the government to shake up the state of food education in schools.
Focus on Food (the RSA Campaign, supported by Waitrose, that encourages more and better practical food education in schools) feels this demonstrates an increasing amount of concern among the British public for the future health of our nation.
The petition has been launched by Focus on Food to support seven demands they are making on the government to address fundamental issues associated with teaching food preparation and food handling in our schools.
It is to be presented as part of an address to both the education secretary Estelle Morris and Alan Milburn, the health secretary in spring 2002.
Although food education is taught at primary and secondary levels through Design and Technology, the emphasis is not always on cooking.
The concern is that there is not enough practical activity taking place, with a lack of resources, and lessons may be rushed.
The flagship of the Campaign, the Cooking Bus has been at the Good Food Show all week holding lessons for children with celebrity chefs.
The demands include: better training for food teachers; upgrading of school cooking facilities and equipment; specific allocation of funds for ingredients; compulsory food technology at Key Stage 3; and commitment from the government to match pound for pound funds raised through industry supporters.
People wanting to add their names to the petition can email their names and addresses to Linda@design-dimension.co.uk
Alison Cormac
Focus on Food
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