Mary’s Meals – Page 3 – The NEN

The cost of feeding the world’s poorest children has soared by 20%

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 hungry children every school day

Mary’s Meals has warned that the cost of feeding children in the world’s poorest countries has risen by an unprecedented 20% – and that it faces significant challenges in delivering its international school feeding programme in 2023.

The charity, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, serves nutritious school meals in 18 countries, including Malawi, Yemen and Haiti. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom, where they can gain an education that can be their ladder out of poverty.

Increases in prices for commodities – such as grain, fuel and fertiliser – mean the cost to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a school year has increased from £15.90 to £19.15. This is the largest increase in the charity’s 20-year history.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “An uncertain year lies ahead, with the escalating cost of living causing much pain for both the children around the world who eat our school meals and those here in Scotland who make our work possible.

“Simply put, our income is not growing at the same rate as the cost of feeding children.”

Mary’s Meals feeds 2,429,182 children every school day. Alongside the cost of living crisis, many of the countries where the charity works are impacted by conflict, climate change and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which are increasing levels of hunger and poverty.

Daniel adds: “There has never been a better – or more urgent – time to support our work. Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million. This means that any donation, no matter the size, will have twice the impact and help even more desperately hungry children.

“The relentless kindness and generosity of people here in Scotland have helped us to grow from feeding just 200 children in Malawi in 2002 to more than 2.4 million children around the world today. It is because of these people that we approach the many challenges we face in 2023 with a deep sense of hope.”

Until 31 January 2023, donations to Mary’s Meals are being doubled by a generous group of supporters – up to £1.5 million. To find out more about the Double The Love campaign, visit marysmeals.org.uk  

Get baking with Aled Jones and Mary’s Meals this Christmas

Spread ho-ho-hope with Aled Jones’ recipe for Gingerbread Snowpeople

School feeding charity Mary’s Meals and classical singer Aled Jones have teamed up for a Christmas baking challenge.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of food attracts hungry children into the classroom where they can gain an education and hope for the future. 

Singer and presenter Aled, who shot to fame at the age of 14 with his version of Christmas classic Walking In The Air, has donated his recipe for Gingerbread Snowpeople to the charity’s fundraising campaign, Raise Some Dough, in a nod to the song’s association with the animated film, The Snowman.

Aled says: “This Christmas, I’m hoping people will have fun baking my favourite biscuit recipe while helping to spread festive joy and hope to some of the world’s poorest children who depend on Mary’s Meals.

“Now has never been a better time to dig out your rolling pin and get baking to raise money for the charity’s Raise Some Dough campaign, especially when donations will go further this winter towards transforming the lives of hungry children by giving them hope of a better future.”

Aled is just one of the famous faces supporting Mary’s Meals this winter. Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor, Great British Bake Off winner Giuseppe Dell’Anno and actors Joanna Lumley and Tamzin Outhwaite have all shared their favourite biscuit recipes in the charity’s free fundraising pack – which includes a mug-shaped cookie cutter. It is available online from marysmeals.org.uk/raise.

Donations made to Mary’s Meals until 31 January 2023 will be doubled by a generous group of supporters, up to £1.5 million, with the charity’s Double The Love campaign. There is no better way to spread ho-ho-hope this Christmas!

For further information on Mary’s Meals, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk

Aled’s Recipe for Gingerbread Snowpeople

You’ll need:

350g/12oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
125g/4½oz butter
175g/6oz light soft brown sugar
1 free-range egg
4 tbsp golden syrup

To decorate the Snowpeople:

writing icing (optional)
cake decorations (optional)

Method:

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the bowl of a food processor.
Add the butter and blend until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. 
Stir in the sugar. 
Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together, add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture clumps together. Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180° C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. 
Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using cutters, cut out the gingerbread people shapes and place on the baking tray, leaving a gap between them. 
Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown.
Leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
When cooled decorate with the writing icing and cake decorations, if using.
Finally… make a pot of tea or coffee or pour a glass of your favourite tipple and sit back and enjoy!

Game, set, match funding as Judy Murray backs Mary’s Meals

Donations made to the school feeding charity will be matched, with up to £1.5 million available

Judy Murray is encouraging people across Scotland to give to Mary’s Meals this winter – so that the charity can reach even more hungry children with its nutritious school meals.

The British tennis coach is supporting the Double The Love campaign – which will see donations made to Mary’s Meals until 31 January 2023 doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million.

Judy says: “I am delighted to announce that donations to Mary’s Meals are being doubled this winter – meaning this wonderful charity can reach even more children with daily school meals.

“It’s game, set, match funding – so please give, if you can!”

Mary’s Meals, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, feeds an incredible 2,279,941 children every day in countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, India and Yemen.

The promise of a meal at school attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education and hope for a better future.

But the charity has warned that the world is facing a hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions brought about by conflict, climate change and Covid-19 – making its work both challenging and indispensable.

Judy took part in a Q&A at an event held at Glasgow Caledonian University on Saturday [12 November] to mark the 20th anniversary of the charity. Mary’s Meals’ founder, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, also spoke at the celebration.

Suzy Harley, head of supporter care at Mary’s Meals, says: “Every day, we encounter new children who desperately need our life-changing meals. And every day we find new ways of reaching them thanks to the kindness of those who believe in our mission. But it has never been more difficult to do so – and that is why we need your support now more than ever.

“Double The Love is an important opportunity for us to feed even more little ones. We are deeply thankful to Judy and everyone who is helping us keep our promise to the more than 2.2 million children who rely on our meals, while allowing us to reach the next hungry child waiting for Mary’s Meals.”

Thanks to the charity’s low-cost approach it costs just £15.90 to feed a child with Mary’s Meals every school day for a year. And, thanks to Double The Love, a donation of £15.90 made before 31 January 2023 will feed two children for a year. To find out more, visit marysmeals.org.uk/double.

Mary’s Meals campaign Doubles The Love this winter

Donations to school feeding charity Mary’s Meals this winter will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.5 million – meaning the public’s kindness will go even further to reach more desperately hungry children with life-changing school meals.

Mary’s Meals has launched its Double The Love campaign, which will run until 31 January 2023. Thanks to the charity’s low-cost approach, just £15.90 can normally feed a child with Mary’s Meals every school day for a year, but during this time a donation of £15.90 will feed two children.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries and its work has never been more important. Conflict, food insecurity and the cost of living crisis is having a devastating impact – in East Africa a fourth season of failed rains is causing one of the worst droughts in decades, leaving millions of people on the brink of famine.

The promise of a meal at school attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education and hope for a better future.

The charity currently feeds 2,279,941 children every school day.

For children like Ulemu in Malawi, a daily meal at school has been life changing.

Ulemu is one of Chigodi Primary School’s newest students, but the 15-year-old should be well into his secondary school career.

The teenager missed much of his early education because of hunger. With little food at home and no school feeding programme at his previous school, his attendance and performance suffered. Now he receives Mary’s Meals at his new school.

Ulemu says: “If we had porridge at my old school, I could have been in secondary school right now. I would frequently miss classes because there was no food at home. Even if I could go to school, I could not concentrate because I was hungry.

“I concentrate in class and play with my friends because the porridge keeps me from feeling hungry throughout the day. My academic performance has improved since I joined Chigodi.”

Mary’s Meals has been serving children in Malawi with a nutritious school meal for 20 years. Chigodi is one of 1,044 schools in the African country where the charity delivers its school feeding programme. A daily meal at school is helping children like Ulemu – who dreams of becoming a doctor – gain an education and reach their goals.

Daniel Adams, executive director of Mary’s Meals, says: “In a world devastated by conflict, food insecurity and drought, bringing new hope to desperately hungry children with our life-changing school meals has never been more urgent.

“That’s why our Double The Love campaign is so important. This winter donations will go twice as far, allowing us to reach even more children in countries including South Sudan, Yemen and Haiti. Just £15.90 will feed two children for a whole school year – fuelling their learning and hopes for the future.

“We are deeply thankful to everyone who is helping us keep our promise to the more than 2.2 million children who rely on our meals, while allowing us to reach the next hungry child waiting for Mary’s Meals.”

The Double The Love campaign runs until 31 January 2023.

Please visit marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove to find out more.

Become a superhero with Mary’s Meals

Children in Edinburgh are encouraged to find their inner superhero with an amazing free activity pack from school feeding charity Mary’s Meals.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries, many of which are impacted by conflict and natural disasters. The promise of a nutritious meal attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education and hope for the future. The charity feeds 2,279,941 children every school day.

The Mary’s Meals Superheroes pack is full of activities designed to teach children about life in the countries where Mary’s Meals works, such as Kenya, Zimbabwe and Yemen.

The pack was inspired by a young girl named Upile, 13, who eats Mary’s Meals at her school in Malawi. She says: “When I grow up and finish my school, I want to be a nurse. I want to help people.”

The activity pack includes a film featuring Upile – as well as a colouring sheet, a word search and materials for little ones to design their own superhero mask.

Dan McNally, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “This fantastic pack is full of activities that will keep kids entertained. Visit our website to download your free copy today!”

The Proclaimers set walking challenge for Edinburgh resident

You don’t have to walk 500 miles to raise funds for Mary’s Meals this summer

The Proclaimers famously sang about walking 500 miles – and now the musical brothers are asking people in Edinburgh to take on their own walking challenge to help Mary’s Meals feed hungry children.

The Scottish duo is calling for residents to take part in the charity’s Move for Meals campaign, which encourages people to raise sponsorship while getting active.

Mary’s Meals serves nutritious school meals in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts hungry children to the classroom, giving them the energy to learn and hope for a brighter future. 

The Proclaimers – Craig and Charlie Reid – have supported Mary’s Meals for several years.

Craig says: “Summer is here, and there’s never been a better time to get your walking shoes on and raise money for this great charity.

“It costs just £15.90 to feed a hungry child with Mary’s Meals for an entire school year – so a little sponsorship can make a big difference.”

Charlie adds: “We’re not asking you to walk 500 miles, or 500 more… With Mary’s Meals, just a small number of steps can help to feed hungry children across the world.”

Mary’s Meals reaches 2,279,941 children every school day in 20 countries, including Ethiopia, Syria and Haiti.  

Dan McNally, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “We serve Mary’s Meals in the world’s poorest, and often most difficult, locations because we know that’s where children need us the most.

“Today, we face some of our greatest challenges yet in a world devastated by conflict, food insecurity and the cost of living crisis. It is easy to feel hopeless when faced with so much suffering.

“But every single thing that people do for our mission makes an enormous difference to the children who eat Mary’s Meals.”

To find out more, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/move-for-meals

Letter: Maggies Meals celebrates International Day of Friendship

Dear Editor,

As we approach the International Day of Friendship (30 July), Mary’s Meals is celebrating heart-warming stories of hope and camaraderie from around the world.

Mary’s Meals is a charity that serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education.

As your readers will know, the classroom is also where lifelong friendships are made. Friendships like that of Fridah and Annette, from Zambia.

Fridah’s life changed forever when she fell ill with an undiagnosed illness, losing all ability to move and communicate. Luckily, she has a wonderful friend in Annette.

The two girls attend school together, where they eat Mary’s Meals. Despite the challenges she faces, Fridah is determined to get an education. She uses her toes to write and turn the pages of her books.

Fridah dreams of becoming a professional footballer when she is older. With our nutritious school meals giving her the energy to learn and play, and a good friend like Annette by her side, we hope she will achieve her dream.

It costs just 8p a day to feed a child with Mary’s Meals, meaning every donation – no matter how small – will make an enormous difference. For more information, please visit marysmeals.org.uk

Thomas Black

Head of major giving and partnerships, Mary’s Meals

Mary’s Meals starts feeding hungry children in Yemen

Charity brings hope to 4,000 children amid ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen

Mary’s Meals has today (Thursday, 13 January) announced that it is now working in Yemen in the Middle East. The global charity is serving nutritious food at school to children affected by one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world, with conflict devastating the country for several years.

Mary’s Meals, which was founded in a shed in Argyll, provides school meals for children living in some of the world’s poorest countries – including Malawi, Haiti, Ethiopia, Syria and South Sudan. The promise of a daily meal attracts hungry children to the classroom, where they receive an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty.

Life is very difficult for people in Yemen, with ongoing conflict heavily impacting the country’s economy and causing high levels of poverty and food insecurity – approximately 21 million people (or 70% of the population) are in need of humanitarian assistance. This includes more than 11 million children.

Millions of people have had to flee their homes in search of safety and many children are malnourished. Since the conflict began in 2015, the number of school-age children not in education has doubled and many have to work to survive.

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder of Mary’s Meals, says: “Mary’s Meals always has a desire to support those in the greatest need. Given that Yemen can be described as the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world, and so many children are suffering, we are delighted to begin serving our daily school meals there – meeting the immediate need of the hungry child and, crucially, at the same time, enabling their education.”

In Yemen, Mary’s Meals is serving substantial and nutritious pitta bread sandwiches, filled with various ingredients to suit local tastes alongside fruit and vegetables, to more than 4,000 children at four schools every school day.

The charity is working in partnership with established international NGO, Yemen Aid, to reach children living in the Al Mansoora district of Aden. This district is particularly vulnerable as it is home to a large number of internally displaced people and other marginalised populations, who all experience high levels of hunger.

Mary’s Meals began in 2002 by feeding 200 children in Malawi. It now reaches more than two million children every school day in 20 countries around the world.

The charity is currently running a match funding campaign, Double The Love. Donations made to Mary’s Meals until 31 January 2022 will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, with up to £1.6 million available.

Magnus adds: “Feeding children in Yemen is an important moment in our mission but we are always thinking of the next child waiting for our nutritious meals.

“That’s why I’m so pleased that donations made to Mary’s Meals this winter are being doubled by a group of generous supporters – meaning we can reach even more hungry children around the world with a life-changing meal at school.”

For more information on the work of Mary’s Meals and to donate to Double The Love, please visit marysmeals.org.uk

Mary’s Meals: Mum’s the word for Christmas dinner in Scotland

School feeding charity Mary’s Meals asked 2,000 people across the UK who they would most like to cook Christmas dinner for them.
Almost half chose a family member over a celebrity chef, with the majority choosing their mum.
In the Scotland dads got the thumbs down in the festive kitchen!
Mary’s Meals is asking people to help feed hungry children by joining its virtual Christmas dinner.

A new survey by Mary’s Meals has revealed that people would rather have their Christmas dinner cooked by their mum than a celebrity chef.

The global school feeding charity asked 2,000 people who they would prefer to serve up their festive feast. It found that:

Almost half (46%) of respondents chose a family member rather than a famous chef – such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith, Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson.
One in three people (36%) said they would prefer their mum to cook their Christmas dinner over other family members.
Just 1% of respondents in Scotland said they would like their dad to prepare the Christmas dinner!

Scotland’s National Chef Gary Maclean responds: “Despite being a professional chef myself, I’m not surprised most people chose their mum to make their Christmas dinner. Us chefs are all well and good but nothing beats a home-cooked festive feast.”

“I love the idea of Mary’s Meals Big Family Christmas – and I’m going to set a place for my late father-in-law Davie, who would love that their virtual seat at the table will feed a hungry child in school for an entire year.”

Mary’s Meals serves more than two million children with a nutritious meal every school day in 19 of the world’s poorest countries, including Malawi, South Sudan and Haiti. The promise of a good meal attracts children to the classroom, giving them the energy and opportunity to learn, and the chance of a brighter future.

Each December the charity holds a virtual Christmas dinner, Big Family Christmas, to raise funds to feed even more hungry children. Last year, nearly 9,000 people around the world took part in the fundraiser.

Emma Hutton, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “Tis the season to be jolly, and it seems nothing makes us jollier than a home-cooked Christmas meal. At Mary’s Meals, we want to spread that joy to as many of the world’s most impoverished children as possible.

“Setting a place at our virtual table is a great way to give a truly life-changing gift, especially as each place set this Christmas will feed two children for an entire year thanks to our Double The Love campaign. I look forward to seeing as many names at the table as possible as we celebrate our Big Family Christmas!”

In return for a donation of just £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can take part in the Big Family Christmas. Donors will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table alongside names from across the world.

Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2022 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.

To find out more, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/Christmas

Reaching children in Malawi

Mary’s Meals typically serves a mug of porridge to more than one million children in Malawi every school day.

This includes children like 14-year-old Yasimini, who is one of five girls. Her two older sisters were married young, but Yasimini was able to continue with her studies because of Mary’s Meals.

She says: “I work very hard in class so I can fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse. I don’t want to end up getting married early like my sisters.

“Mary’s Meals is very important because when I am attending classes I am strong and attentive and I can pay attention to what the teacher is teaching. This will help me to do well in my studies.”

Charity reveals Christmas traditions Die Hard!

School feeding charity Mary’s Meals asked 2,000 people about their favourite Christmas traditions.
Of people in Scotland surveyed, 13% chose watching action film Die Hard.
Mary’s Meals is asking people to start a new tradition by joining its virtual Christmas dinner to feed hungry children in the world’s poorest countries.

A new survey by global school meals charity Mary’s Meals has reignited a debate which has rumbled on for years: is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?

Watching the Bruce Willis classic was named as a top Christmas tradition by 13% of those polled across Scotland – just ahead of attending their work Christmas night out (12%).

The survey also revealed that it is time-honoured traditions that people really cherish – with 67% of people in Scotland saying they enjoy eating their Christmas meal and just over half saying they love decorating their Christmas tree.

And, in a nod to it being the season of goodwill, more people preferred to give presents (67%) than to receive them (51%).

Morven Macgillivray, supporter engagement manager, at Mary’s Meals, says: “As our survey shows, Christmas is a time of giving. We are so thankful to everyone who helps us to spread the joy by making a gift to Mary’s Meals; letting the children we serve know there are people thinking of them at this time of year.

“Every year, I set a place at the Mary’s Meals virtual Christmas dinner for my mum, and she sets one for my brother and myself. It has become a family tradition. This year I’m extending that Christmas tradition to include a place at the table for the star of Die Hard, John McClane! As he famously says in the film, welcome to the party, pal!”

In return for a donation of £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can take part in the Big Family Christmas. They will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table alongside names from across the world – and the Die Hard hero!

Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2022 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.

To find out more, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/Christmas

Box out: Christmas traditions in South Sudan

At midnight on Christmas Eve, young people in South Sudan joyfully run around with torches, shouting ‘Merry Christmas’ and drumming on jerry cans.

Moses Kopurot, who manages the Mary’s Meals programme in South Sudan, explains: “This tradition is known throughout South Sudan and so everybody knows the next day is the 25th of December and is the day that we have to celebrate Christmas.”

Mary’s Meals serves maize or sorghum (a local grain) and beans to more than 75,000 children in South Sudan every school day.

This includes children like nine-year-old Daniel who wakes at 6am every day to milk his family’s herd of cows before walking for more than an hour to reach his local school.

He says: “I like this school because we eat good food. If I wasn’t in school, I would be at home taking care of the cows.”