School meals to be cooked and transported four miles under Aberdeenshire Council cost-cutting measure

Pupils and parents of Rhynie School are pleading with Aberdeenshire Council to keep its kitchen open amid fears it will impact youngsters’ health and learning.

Former pupils, and now school parents, Laura Bastable and Annabel MacDougall have spearheaded a campaign to save the facility from closure.

They say the kitchen is “at the heart of the school” as it serves hot meals for 74 children each day.

But under the new plan, food will be cooked at Kennethmont School four miles away instead then boxed up and delivered to Rhynie.

The cost-cutting move was approved as part of Aberdeenshire Council’s budget setting exercise last year.

It will also impact nearby Lumsden Primary School which has just 16 pupils.

Debbie Rennie of Lumsden’s parent forum explained that the move adds “more threat and anxiety as a small school”.

The change is due to come into force in April, however parents are angry the local authority didn’t hold any consultations about it.

Annabel, who is chairwoman of the parent teacher council, claims the council said the decision was made to cut down the kitchen’s energy consumption and save cash.

But while money will be saved on site, she believes the change will add unwanted food miles.

Rhynie School has its own after-school gardening club, Garden Gang, where members help to grow vegetables.

Once produce is ready, pupils are able to take some home and show it off to their families while the rest goes to the school cook who serves it up for school lunches.

After the kitchen closure was announced, there was a fear Garden Gang would have to stop.

However Annabel revealed it would be safe.

She explained: “It can still happen but the food has to be cooked at Kennethmont and brought back to Rhynie which just defeats the purpose.”

And earlier this year, the school was awarded £40,000 from a wind farm grant to expand its outdoor learning.

Parents hoped the move would help pupils grow more fresh produce.

A composter large enough to compost all food waste at the school was purchased, with the aim to open it to the community to reduce food waste in the village.

The new gadget was delivered the week before the kitchen closure was announced.

A frustrated Annabel said: “The amount of initiatives Rhynie has put in to lower its carbon footprint is amazing, but this totally undermines it.

“This is minimal savings but with maximum impact to children’s wellbeing.”

Laura says Garden Gang is so popular, it had to be split into two groups to ensure all members get the same experience.

As well as tending to the growing vegetables, the 27 Garden Gang pupils learn about nature and wildlife.

They have their own hedgehog house and a wildlife camera, and put any leftover produce not used out for the community to take.

Laura added: “The kids will be missing the connection seeing their food go into the kitchen as they hand it to the cook.

“But, the council say children won’t notice any difference as their food will still taste the same and have the same nutrients.”

As we chat, Garden Gang member George runs up to the mums to ask them a question.

Annabel responds, and asks him if the wedges served at lunchtime were made with the group’s potatoes.

A proud smile beams across his face before he answers: “Yes.”

As George runs off, Laura says: “All of them make it worthwhile.

“When you see the response you get from them and you hear what you’ve spoken about and they understand and get involved, it’s amazing.”

An emotional Annabel said the looming kitchen closure has left her feeling “deflated”.

“The excitement and positivity that we’ve been trying to do has just been squashed,” she adds.

“This relies on volunteers, parents working alongside staff, and that works brilliantly.

“I think the decision should be made on individual sites.”

But it’s not just the school pupils who benefit from the kitchen, the on-site nursery uses it to bake cakes for its weekly Family Snack.

Laura explains this will be at risk in the future as the nursery doesn’t have the facilities to bake in its room.

She said: “The kids are in contact with the cook who explains what happens in a kitchen.

“She explains the ingredients and measuring – it’s teaching them life skills.”

Annabel adds: “With health and safety, and hygiene rules, there is a lot of red tape for them to get through to do their weekly baking when at the moment it’s working so well.”

After learning of the kitchen closure, the mums set up an online petition which has already gathered more than 900 signatures.

Laura said: “We always have a backing from our community.

“They are unhappy about the kitchen shutting down and there is a lack of understanding.

“They don’t know why this is happening when it’s a good, thriving school.”

Annabel revealed she has spoken to parents at schools that were converted into serveries last term.

“Their kids have said the paninis are soggy… Children have noticed a change in the food.

“We asked to see evidence of this successful project, but it just seems to be a success in money and we get that budgets are tight.”

Saving proposal formed part of the local authority’s approved budget last February.

It stated that school sites that serve less than 35 meals a day in their own production kitchens will change to a servery, and another school nearby will produce its meals.

It was expected that the move would save the council around £160,000 over two years.

A council spokesman revealed that of the region’s 140 primary schools, 80 serve as production kitchens that prepare and transport meals to 63 serveries.

He said: “Aberdeenshire Council has been operating this production kitchen and servery model for over 40 years.

“Servery kitchens follow the same procedures as production kitchens for portion size, food safety and allergen management controls.”

He added: “The Catering Service is proud of the quality of meals provided across the whole kitchen estate.”