The Fresh Produce Consortium is upping the pressure on government as the axe looms over the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme.

The Fresh Produce Consortium is campaigning to save the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme which provides 4-6 year olds in over 16,000 schools in England with a free piece of fruit or vegetable every day ahead of the October Spending Review by government on Wednesday.

The scheme is delivered on behalf of Primary Care Trusts through a best practice central procurement process.

“Given Sir Philip Green’s advice to government to use central procurement it seems ridiculous that the Department of Health is hell bent on removing this element of a highly successful Scheme, and replacing one buyer with 150 buyers. The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme in England is well placed to give youngsters a head start for eating a healthy diet. We must maintain it,” said FPC ceo Nigel Jenney.

Already FPC’s campaign, which features several hard hitting mages, has secured support from across the fresh produce industry, schools and families, and campaigners for children’s health, with debates taking place online such as Netmums. F

PC has urged the fresh produce industry and supporters of the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme to write to their MPs, the Department of Health and the Prime Minister to save the scheme.

It was announced last week that the government’s body on the issue, the School Food Trust, will lose its non-departmental public body status.

Christine Haigh of the Children’s Food Campaign said: “This announcement is yet more evidence that the new government has failed to recognise the importance of school food. The School Food Trust has played an important role in transforming school food over the last few years, but sadly this work is far from complete.”

“While we are pleased that the School Food Trust will continue to exist as a charity, we are well aware that charities lack the status and security of funding that children’s health deserves.”