Children's Right2Food

Children's Right2Food is a nationwide initiative to ensure every child in the UK can access and afford good food.

Children's Right2Food

Children's Right2Food is a nationwide initiative to ensure every child in the UK can access and afford good food. Led by a team of Young Food Ambassadors across the UK, the campaign calls for government action to tackle children’s food insecurity and childhood obesity caused by inequalities.

Our story so far

It all began when the Young Food Ambassadors came together to launch their very own Right2Food Charter, calling on Government to listen to their stories and those of millions of other young people across the UK who were living with increased levels of hunger and food poverty.

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They delivered their Right2Food Charter to

10 Downing Street

with Dame Emma Thompson who is also supporting their advocacy.

Rashford and Ambassadors

Since then, they have joined forces with

Marcus Rashford’s

#EndChildFoodpoverty 

campaign to make sure no child in the UK goes hungry.

Children's Future Food Inquiry

Our campaign was shaped by the findings of the Children’s Future Food Inquiry – a year-long Inquiry into children’s food.

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The Children’s Future Food Inquiry was launched in 2018 as the first attempt to speak directly and systematically to children, young people and those who live and work with them about children’s experience of food and how it affects their lives.

The Inquiry was spearheaded by a cross-party parliamentary committee and led by partners in each of the devolved nations: Food Sense Wales, Children in Wales, Children in Scotland and Children in Northern Ireland.

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The UK is the sixth richest economy in the world -

there is absolutely no need for any child to go hungry.

The fact that they are and in increasing numbers suggests cracks in a broken food system that can and must be repaired as a matter of the utmost urgency. Apart from the moral duty we owe to children, this is a severe public health problem.

Emma Thompson, Ambassador for Children’s Right2Food

Visit our Children's Right2Food Dashboard

Here you'll find an interactive data dashboard exploring children's experience with food in the UK.

Meet our Young Food Ambassadors

Meet the Young Food Ambassadors who have been campaigning for Government to act to stop child food poverty and give every child access to a healthy and affordable diet.

Dev
Dev, 18, Leicester
Young Food Ambassador

As well as being a Young 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.

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Saf
Saffron, 19, Portsmouth
Food Ambassador

Saffron speaks out about the struggles of autistic young people with food and particularly the impact of food insecurity on children on the spectrum. Saffron feels strongly about families paying too much for unhealthy food and wants healthy food to be cheaper and more accessible. She has received The Jamie Oliver Good School Food Awards 2023. 

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Jani, 21, Huddersfield
Food Ambassador

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.

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Young Food Ambassador
Sharon, 19, London
Food Ambassador

I am a Food Ambassador because I believe in food justice and change. I believe we can be doing a lot more in the UK to tackle this crisis and I want to be part of a movement that sticks up for our most vulnerable children.

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Asha
Asha, 17, Cumbria
Young Food Ambassador

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. 

 

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Jacob, 19, Glasgow
Food Ambassador

Jacob is a Scottish activist who campaigns for change in his own nation as well as his country. From campaigning at the Scottish Parliament to making changes in his own city Jacob is determined to change politicians' minds for the better and for the future generations. 

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Beth, 18, Wales
Young Food Ambassador

Beth is a determined young campaigner focusing on delivering the Charter goals in her home in Wales and making sure children have equal access to good diets across the UK. She is a strong believer that food poverty is an issue that a highly developed country like the UK should not have to face and wants the Government to listen to young people to bring about change.

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Food Foundation youth campaigner
Tymek, 15, Devon
Young Food Ambassador

I joined the Food Foundation because I have always campaigned for better school meals and for more people to have access. No child should be hungry at school. I am also the deputy member of Youth Parliament for North Devon, West Devon and Torridge and the only Young Food Ambassador in the South-West.

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ryan
Ryan, 22, Coatbridge
Food Ambassador

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.

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Yumna, 19, Birmingham
Food Ambassador

Yumna is a student advocate and campaigner, elected as Youth MP for Birmingham and Chair of Birmingham Youth Council as well as being an Act4ood, Act4Change Youth Leader. Her fight for an inclusive healthcare system has led her to facilitate numerous sessions with professionals to address healthcare inequalities and speak at national conferences, fuelling her desire to learn more about global and public health. A recent TEDx speaker, ‘Re-Imagining Education To Create An Impact In The World’, Yumna works with organisations focussed on transforming the education system into one that is equitable, inclusive, decolonised and centres the views of learners.

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Deborah, 15, London
Young Food Ambassador

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.

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Fayeth, 17, Wales
Young Food Ambassador

Fayeth is a young carer and her mum and her are both epileptic. She and her little sisters are all on Free School Meals and Fayeth volunteers at her local foodbank. Fayeth speaks about food insecurity in the context of health vulnerability, and would like to see all children across all UK nations have equal access to food.

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Sidrah, 14, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador
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sabha
Sabha, 15, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador

The reason why I wanted to become a Young Food Ambassador is because I am really passionate about people having a voice. It makes me feel like I am using my voice in a respectful manner and sticking up for people. My goal is to end child hunger by allowing and campaigning on Free School Meals. 

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Rushda, 15, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador

I have decided to campaign because I recognise the positive impact it will bring to not only our community but everyone else around the country and globe. I also want to spread the belief that no one is ever too young to make a difference or even contribute towards a better future.

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Young Food Ambassador
Mirzan, 17, London
Young Food Ambassador

I am on the Barnet Council's youth board, an active member in my school's mental health group and am also a Young Conservative. I know what it is like receiving free school meals and this is why I joined the Food Foundation and decided to speak up, and create change for good.

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Jayson, 16, Leicester
Young Food Ambassador
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Laiba, 16, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador

I became a Young Food Ambassador because I hate the phrase 'You are too young'. If I want I can do anything and no I am not too young to do anything. If I have to stand up for my fellow humans throughout the UK who are struggling with food problems I will.

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Aliza, 15, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador

I became a young food ambassador because I am passionate about helping to end child hunger and to provide a voice for those in need, having a positive impact and giving them a better future.

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Rhowan
Rhowan, 17, Glasgow
Young Food Ambassador

I joined Children's Right2Food because I believe that it's every family and young person's right to have access to affordable, nutritional food no matter what their income is. So I joined to give awareness on food poverty that is going on in my community and others.

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Tyler, 18, Glasgow
Young Food Ambassador

I became a Young Food Ambassador as I saw the issues going on in the UK regarding poverty. It really struck me to help people become more engaged and understand what it really is. At this moment in time, a few of us are working on awareness packs to highlight what food poverty is from a young persons perspective to share with others. 

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Mimi, 15, Northern Ireland
Young Food Ambassador

I became a Young Food Ambassador when I’m 14 because I want people to hear my side of the story around food poverty. I grew up in a single parent household with my dad raising my older brother and me. We had free school meals up until 2022 and had to cut back so we could afford other things.  

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Hasan, Young Food Ambassador
Hasan, 15, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador

Hasan became a youth campaigner due to his strong belief that no child should go to sleep hungry. He wants to do as much as he can to help young people in a society he feels allows the 'rich to get richer' and the 'poor to get poorer'.

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Hussnain, 14, Halifax
Young Food Ambassador
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General
Gianna, 18, Leicester
Young Food Ambassador

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.  

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Keira
Keira, 15, Greater Manchester
Young Food Ambassador

I became a Young Food Ambassador because I want to be part of a team who helps families and young people have the right to food.

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With thanks to our funders

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