Connor Naismith, MP for Crewe and Nantwich, visited Sir William Stanier School to take part in a food lesson with students and teacher, Sara Randle, as part of Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food scheme.
The visit comes after recently released statistics showing that 22% of children in Crewe and Nantwich start primary school overweight, and around 2,500 children in the constituency are currently receiving Free School Meals.
During the visit, Connor got stuck into some practical cooking and joined a class discussion about healthy eating and experiences of preparing food at home. He praised the school's efforts to ensure young people leave school with the knowledge they need to live healthier lives.
“Every child should leave school with the knowledge and skills they need to cook healthy food from scratch,” said Connor. “While some children take on food at GCSE and gain those skills, it was clear from listening to Sara that others aren’t equipped to prepare fresh, nutritious meals if they don’t take such an interest in the subject. That must change.”
Connor was also shown a range of environmental and sustainability projects taking place on-site. He met students working on the creation of a pond under the guidance of Andrew Stubbs from Cheshire Wildlife Trust, as well as new planting beds and wildflowers forming part of a rooftop garden. The garden is being developed with support from central government funding and led jointly by Sara Randle and Andrew Stubbs.
Sara also outlined future plans for an apple orchard at the front of the school, which will not only support lessons in food but also be open to local groups such as Chance Changing Lives, helping strengthen the school’s connection with its community.
Sara said “At Sir William Stanier School, we believe food education is a vital part of a young person’s learning. Through hands-on cooking and projects like the Ministry of Food, we are not just teaching recipes - we are helping students understand where their food comes from, how to make healthier choices, and how to care for the environment. It’s about broadening their classroom experience and giving them life skills that last well beyond school. Our work with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust supports this even further, helping students connect what they learn in the kitchen with the natural world around them. I'm very proud of our students and the work that we do here with them.”
Connor added “It was fantastic to see such inspiring work going on - not only teaching young people to cook, but also connecting them with nature and sustainability. I’m really grateful to Sara, Andrew, and the pupils for welcoming me today.”