Compass apologises for school meal parcels that 'fell short’
04/02/2021
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The owner of the firm that sparked January’s school meals outcry has apologised again
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04/02/2021 10:46:59
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The apology isn't good enough. Where is the refund for taxpayers ?
The Tories' magic money tree is always available for corporate donors, it would seem.
Kids are going hungry and your first instinct is to think about the taxpayers?
There is no refund. They were being paid £11.50 to provide that particular food parcel in the Twitter storm and it was arguably that amount of food plus overheads (packaging, staff, delivery). Maybe it was a bit tight but not the inaccurate figures bounded about at the time.
Read the article. They are giving free breakfasts and providing free lunches over half term.
As far as Tory politicians and British justice system is concerned, apology = remorse.
In the bank accounts of some posh restauranteurs in the Caribbean?
They are sorry they got caught more like
Spot on, I wonder if all those people who were defending what was provided will admit that they were wrong now that the company involved have admitted that they messed up. I bet they won't
Exactly, I know they like to treat the general public with contempt, but I do not genuinely understand how they thought they'd get away with this?
It was a daft scheme in the first place. Can;t blame them for trying to make some money out of it!
It's astonishing that they evidently thought they could do this and that no-one would call them out on it.
Hopefully now they won't make that mistake again and will "play nice" from now on.
Hopefully now they won't make that mistake again and will "play nice" from now on.
Exactly what was going through my mind.
Apologized but didn't return any money they were paid I am guessing - apologies aren't worth the paper they are written on these days or the electrons that are disturbed by posting to FB, Twitter etc.
Please, let's not get carried away with compassion and right-minded thinking when it comes to the future of young people. Next, you lefties will be suggesting that all youngsters should have quality education instead of teachers being cut and funds being diverted to pay for corporate like management structures with associated pay levels for managers in academy trusts.
Money, that's what I want..
Money, that's what I want..
Guess what? When Labour are in, their magic money tree works for their supporters, too. You really must wean yourself off this "Tory/Labour" rubbish. ALL politicians look after their mates first and foremost. There are no truly honest, impartial people in politics. Politics attracts people who are fundamentally "bent" and whose interest is demonstrably not that of the people.
What makes you think Compass Group are political donors?! That's just utter nonsense of the highest order
Theres a Magic Money Tree, it’s called the Poor and the Tories have been scrumping it for 100 years
This company hads been delivering food for years Many schools have outside caterers proving school meals for years this isn't to do with Govt. hiring it's mates Whatever think of the Govt. it doesn't control everything and to suggest it does is fake news I'm not a Tory supporter but there comes the time when facts should drive the agrument not prejudice
Yes as we agreed to pay for meals for kids, and someone dipped and took the cash for themselves. They robbed us and the kids
I also care about starving kids. They need to be fed, at the same time as taxpayers NOT being ripped off by Tory donors. I hope this clarifies what I meant.
Letting them off Scott free won't solve the underlying problem of them not giving a shiite.
Kids in future will not go hungry because taxpayers. So, taxpayers still come first.
Sorry is just a word without consequences. If they failed then they were in breach of contract.
I believe a better way to do these food parcels would had been to keep it local wherever possible. Existing food banks could have done better for less money
I believe a better way to do these food parcels would had been to keep it local wherever possible. Existing food banks could have done better for less money
Misery is the number one money maker in our world.
So beggars can be choosers.
Maybe it should be a requirement that meals served in Westminster, Holyrood, the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies should be of the same quality and standard as those served in schools, hospitals, care homes etc. Politicians surely would not object to that.
They would just go out to lunch!
I have just been in hospital (QEU Glasgow) and the food was great and always came with a smile. thank you so much!!!
Hang on - I spent a week in hospital and the food was excellent. Seriously! Just don't go for the English food!!!
Then children will have girls to grope as BOGOF.
Removed
Great idea!
Ah so....the idea is: give politicians crap food, and then it's OK for kids to be given crap food as well? Excellent idea! You must be a trade unionist......"We don't want to be better off if rich people also become better off"......Muppet.
Kids are going hungry and your first instinct is to think about the taxpayers?
Was proved at the time ans acknowledged by the BBC that it wasn't the £30 option but was the £10 one so why are you willing to print something you know is inaccurate? Still crap for a tenner mind.
And photos continue to be used that were proven to be false (photos not showing the entire box/bag contents to make it look worse).
Wasn't it the £30 option but of that, only £10 actually is expected to go towards the food itself? The rest being expenses and profit (though how expenses can be that high is impossible for me to understand). You could literally hire a taxi and pay someone minimum wage to go and buy it, and still incur less expense. Feels like profiteering.
I agree but a company with this level of buying power should be able to buy much more for £10.
I helped distribute in my area and the quantity and quality was astonishingly good. It was a large box crammed to the brim. An entire loaf of bread. Cans of beans, tomatoes and sweetcorn. Fresh vegetables. An entire pack of pasta. The cucumbers had been cut in half and wrapped in clingfilm, which seemed odd. Surely the time and labour would cost more than the saving. I don't have an axe to grind.
But the higher number means people can scream about CHUMS again. Then continue to insult leavers for apparently seeing only what they wanted to see.
So beggars can be choosers.
No I am talking about adults.
agree, but resources are finite, whilst it seems their (or their parents) needs are not!
Agree with poster above who suggested child benefit money would be better handled by Schools or another body to ensure children are taken care of
There are others in society who don't shout so loud & get left behind; elderly, sick, etc
Agree with poster above who suggested child benefit money would be better handled by Schools or another body to ensure children are taken care of
There are others in society who don't shout so loud & get left behind; elderly, sick, etc
If parents won’t feed their own kids, they should be given a grant a bit like a student loan. Once the child turns 16 the parent can start repaying.
Giving free money (and adding to their debt) is not a workable solution. A subset of parents would just blow the money without any benefit to their kids' meals. When I oversaw a couple of primary schools in deprived areas, we supplied laptops to kids as a pilot project, and a significant number of parents immediately sold the laptops (which the schools still owned) for money spent on themselves.
Just take the child benefit and child tax credits away from the parents and hand it to the schools so that they can feed and clothe them.
'additional guidance and resources for workers,'
As much as it shouldn't be, the demographic that Chartwells are probably relying on for their casual cheap labour, what we saw being packed in those bags is probably a luxurious feast.
As much as it shouldn't be, the demographic that Chartwells are probably relying on for their casual cheap labour, what we saw being packed in those bags is probably a luxurious feast.
Unfortunately, businesses are there to make money and some, not all, will try to provide as limited a service or as crappy a product as they can get away with n order to do that.
That's nonsense. Successful companies rely on repeat business and renewal of contracts. It's in their interest to make improvements while making a profit of course.
Business have to be able to provide a quality product; alas some selected for lowest cost. It is often said, would you fly in a rocket that has been built by companies selected for their ability to do it at the lowest possible cost?
"operating margin climbing to 2.7% to the end of December compared to 0.6% in the previous three months" - I suppose this increase in margin is due to receiving £30 for every £5 food parcel? Abhorrent behaviour, and yet again the shareholders benefitting from other peoples misery.
They were being paid £11.50 to provide that particular food parcel in the Twitter storm and it was arguably that amount of food plus overheads (packaging, staff, delivery). Maybe it was a bit tight but not the inaccurate figures you quote.
No, it's just to cutting their cost base: I. E. Procurement of goods costs, redundancies etc. Its all in the article, try reading it
Spot on. I would be embarrassed to be a shareholder in Compass.
Dangerously low margin; businesses operating 0.6% or 2.7% are not making enough at operating level to cover capital investment, taxation, interest - which then leads to having to cut deep - redundancies. If the had £30 food costing £5, then margins would be nearer 80%.
Whoever is in charge of procurement and quality control should be sacked.
Needed publicity for them to do the decent thing. Funny enough this did not come from the Tory press until it broke on the BBC. Don't think the donations Compass made to the Tory party had anything to do with them getting the contract in the first place or did it?
What an earth makes you think Compass donate to the Conservative, or any other party? There is literally no evidence for that and they are a highly regulated company (along with others in this sector) which makes this impossible anyway. You are literally spouting nonsense
Kids are going hungry and your first instinct is to think about the taxpayers?
You seem to be missing the point here. The government are paying £30 to the provider for £5 worth of food.
It’s not free. We agreed to provide 30 quid. Someone took 25 for themselves and then tutted and said “look at them stealing your money and moaning it’s not enough”
Can you not see we were all robbed
Can you not see we were all robbed
They were getting £30 of public funds per parcel. Is it ridiculous to expect a little better than £5 worth of food & £25 in their pockets?
You clown
You clown
It was not free it cost the Taxpayer £30.00
There should be serious discussions around the adequacy of this provision and that means the provider and the Government.
The only serious discussion will be how much money private companies have been able to make.
Feed your own kids, food is not expensive. Pack in the smoking, ditch the phone contract, lose the sky sports subscription. Kids are top priority.
Apologies are meaningless. This company has apologised for all manor of things before & continues to operate nefariously
Fact is they saw child poverty as a cash cow, there is absolutely no accountability for that & they continue to receive public funds
Fact is they saw child poverty as a cash cow, there is absolutely no accountability for that & they continue to receive public funds
"manor"?
What do you expect from the Tories and their cronies?
There are two things Tories are highly skilled at:
1 - Moving the wealth of a nation into the hands of the rich
2 - persuading the plebs to vote for them
There are two things Tories are highly skilled at:
1 - Moving the wealth of a nation into the hands of the rich
2 - persuading the plebs to vote for them
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
Great answer. So let kids starve because of their parents situation. You’re a genius, should run for public office you’ve obviously thought it all through.
You are out of touch with the real world. Have you not heard about in-work poverty? High rents, zero-hour contracts, low wages, benefit cuts etc. You need to take a proper look at yourself and your holier than thou attitude.
Careful - the BBC don;t approve of people taking responsibility for themselves! My father said that if you wait till you think you are ready to have children, you probably never will, just do it and deal with it. But he was a very driven man, always pushed himself hard. Not everyone is like that!
Are you thinking of standing as a tory candidate at the next election? You are exactly what they are looking for.
The story is about a company being given public funds to provide food for the most vulnerable children in our society and pocketing the difference, only apologising when they were caught red handed. For your comment to criticise the parents shows a complete lack of understanding of poverty and zero empathy to the child who goes to bed hungry through no fault of their own. Disgraceful.
No doubt they mysteriously have enough money to buy weed or a £900 phone..
They should loose the contract, simple as that - making a quick buck out of supply food to kids - disgusting!
Yes, things really need tightening up!
Obviously we are on a 'holier than thou' theme this morning! The terms of the contract may be 'loose' but why should they 'lose' it? I am guessing here that you really don't understand about mass supply or have read the full article which states that the company revenue was down by a third in 3 months. Companies make profits, pay tax & employ people. No jobs, no food. Your choice!
While I can appreciate the sentiment, the reality is that it would probably impact the people employed by the company, who could end up by being put out of work because of the loss of business.
Perhaps a better resolution would be to punish those who run the company and made the decisions personally, rather than the company and its employees as a whole.
Just a though.
Perhaps a better resolution would be to punish those who run the company and made the decisions personally, rather than the company and its employees as a whole.
Just a though.
It depends on what the contract says they needed to supply. If they haven't breached any terms of the contract then it is difficult for them to lose the contract as they would have a claim against the government for unfair termination of he contract
No, the TAXPAYER is being forced to pay £30 for £5 worth of food
tbh, one parcel I saw posted & being complained about would have provided at least 8 good hot meals, but I appreciate they weren't all the same
Until the public purse stopps being ripped off, the country will keep floundering along & neither jobs nor pay will improve
We need to make sure benefit recipients get Home Economy lessons
tbh, one parcel I saw posted & being complained about would have provided at least 8 good hot meals, but I appreciate they weren't all the same
Until the public purse stopps being ripped off, the country will keep floundering along & neither jobs nor pay will improve
We need to make sure benefit recipients get Home Economy lessons
Taxpayers are paying for it and getting ripped off, not the government - MPs are rich enough. I'd scrap Child Benefits and pay more Council Tax so the money is invested in proper meals/education/counselling that goes directly to kids - rather than selfish/ignorant parents who may use Child Benefits on themselves. Look after kids, but scrap incentives to have more - the planet can't cope
A disgraceful performance by an awfully managed company which gave terrible service to our most vulnerable people.
Can’t we just all stop for one second and ask ourselves how we let this happen these days...children without enough food should be in a Dickens story only. I’m ashamed.
Can’t we just all stop for one second and ask ourselves how we let this happen these days...children without enough food should be in a Dickens story only. I’m ashamed.
How do you know the company has awful management? I suggest that you just donate some more to food banks & then your conscience is clear & you don't have to reply on the Government.
Children without food hmm. The food £ value of parcels is minimal, a tiny proportion even of benefits. You don't starve your kids as the first resort in times of hardship.
Why are you ashamed ? As a society we give and give and give and we look after the most vulnerable.
"Can’t we just all stop for one second and ask ourselves how we let this happen these days...children without enough food should be in a Dickens story only. I’m ashamed."
Absolutely. What are you doing about it? We can all copy your example. ...........sorry? Oh.....I think I hear the sound of tumbleweed........
Absolutely. What are you doing about it? We can all copy your example. ...........sorry? Oh.....I think I hear the sound of tumbleweed........
Too little too late.
If the truth were known, most of the contracts the govt has issued (often to cronies) during the pandemic are probably equally incompetent and poor value. But they've been careful to make sure that confidentiality clauses prevent us finding out.
If the truth were known, most of the contracts the govt has issued (often to cronies) during the pandemic are probably equally incompetent and poor value. But they've been careful to make sure that confidentiality clauses prevent us finding out.
Generalisation. What contracts & to whom? If you are going to make sweeping statements then back them up with some facts like who these companies (& cronies) are, what the contracts are for, where they have failed & who has profited.
Soo how did you find out? Or is that just a "guess"?
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
Apologies are meaningless. This company has apologised for all manor of things before & continues to operate nefariously
Fact is they saw child poverty as a cash cow, there is absolutely no accountability for that & they continue to receive public funds
Fact is they saw child poverty as a cash cow, there is absolutely no accountability for that & they continue to receive public funds
Looks like both English and Home Economics need to be better taught! Seriously, if some of the pointless curriculum was dropped and home economics bought back, people would be better able to fend for themselves.
Ah yes, it would have been a good point they made, but no, a grammatical error changes everything.
Yeah the one Rashford lives in.
Yes, you know.....the companies are all owned by posh people who live in manor houses. Well....not manor houses but....you know....the types you'd all buy too if you could afford them. LOOK OUT! GREEN EYED MONSTER!!!!!
Giving free money (and adding to their debt) is not a workable solution. A subset of parents would just blow the money without any benefit to their kids' meals. When I oversaw a couple of primary schools in deprived areas, we supplied laptops to kids as a pilot project, and a significant number of parents immediately sold the laptops (which the schools still owned) for money spent on themselves.
Tory logic...Lets blame the victims for the company ripping them and the Tax payer off
Good to see a company accepting some blame for once. And some facts to highlight just how little margin there is in this kind of business. But will it be enough to placate the moaners and those who believe they are entitled to everything for free? I doubt it.
Compass have been caught out before & apologise, but it is obviously meaningless
They're a global company, with revenue in 2019 of almost £25 Billion, so margin needs to be seen in context with turnover
They've been involved in various scandals
In 2006 they paid £40M to stop 2 lawsuits for fraud for allegedly bribing a UN official to win catering contracts
See also 2013 horsemeat scandal
They're a global company, with revenue in 2019 of almost £25 Billion, so margin needs to be seen in context with turnover
They've been involved in various scandals
In 2006 they paid £40M to stop 2 lawsuits for fraud for allegedly bribing a UN official to win catering contracts
See also 2013 horsemeat scandal
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
So, the brand name is "Chartwells". ??
?? That name evokes tradition, public schools, poshness etc.
?? And they hide behind the name and give children slop
?? That name evokes tradition, public schools, poshness etc.
?? And they hide behind the name and give children slop
Actually I think you will find that Chartwell was the name of Churchill's country house in Kent - that may be where you are getting the name from https://winstonchurchill.org/visit/chartwell/
Or perhaps you are confusing it with Charterhouse which is a public school at Godalming https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/
Or perhaps you are confusing it with Charterhouse which is a public school at Godalming https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/
They are sorry they got caught more like
Wasn't it the £30 option but of that, only £10 actually is expected to go towards the food itself? The rest being expenses and profit (though how expenses can be that high is impossible for me to understand). You could literally hire a taxi and pay someone minimum wage to go and buy it, and still incur less expense. Feels like profiteering.
No, what was photographed was a week's worth of food for which they were paid £11.50, including the costs of packaging and distribution.
Sounds right for a restaurant economics. 1/3 on raw materials, 1/3 labour, 1/3 profit.
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
They are sorry they got caught more like
Why not? we have a government with no moral compass & are as corrupt as hell. Like attracts like.
Did anyone else notice that in the photo submitted in January by “roadside mum” complaining about the food ( I think that was her name) the bread had a best before date of November.Either the company was selling very out of date products, it was pre frozen, or the woman in question had a political motive for delaying her complaint.
A look at her Twitter feed doesn’t rule out the latter.
A look at her Twitter feed doesn’t rule out the latter.
In an already overcrowded world, why are we having children that we cannot afford to feed?
My parents started off fairly impoverished. We didn't have fancy cars, holidays were only ever camping, no flashy gadgets. But we were always reasonably fed.
The world isn't overcrowded; it just has extremely poorly managed resources. For example, the UK only uses about half of its arable land and still relies on food imports. Correctly managed, the UK could be self-sufficient foodwise and actually be a net exporter of food. This pattern is repeated all over the world with prime arable land used for construction or asset holding.
Remember that when you're in a nursing home with no young person to wipe your backside.
who do you think would pay the tax to fund your pension, NHS, transport etc, if these children didn't exist? And its ridiculous to presume that the circumstances that exist for some families now were the same when the child was conceived.
You don't solve overpopulation by blaming the children and starving them.
Because it's a benefits country why do you think everyone wants to move here.....the fresh air perhaps hahahahaha
Children are free wild card entry to life long benefit. More you breed, more you get and bigger house you are entitled to. Dole at the door, meal on wheels and bonus at Christmas !! Who doesn't want?
In passing, if you gave every man, woman and child 100sq meters of personal space, it would only take up a bit more than the area of Texas, USA.
So there is actually plenty of space in the world, for people, agriculture and industry.
So there is actually plenty of space in the world, for people, agriculture and industry.
Perhaps when the children were born they could afford it.
People’s circumstances change and this may affect people’s income, there has to be a safety net, it’s important that children receive the correct nourishment. Just basic common decency!!
I think some of the issues that get raised by people with an aversion to supporting their neighbours through the tax system, would be improved with better education, and social support. People do what they know. Broaden their world and new possibilities arise. They acquire new skills and develop new ideas about how they want to live. They then have a lot more to hope for.
Politicians like to talk about how many billions they are spending on things but it’s the outcomes that count not the spend. The truth is that cronyism, corruption and secretive commercial terms mean that the billions they like to talk about rarely translate into positive outcomes for the general public. It’s all a big con trick. This is why £5 worth of food costs taxpayers £30.
" This is why £5 worth of food costs taxpayers £30."
And why it costs £90 to change a light bulb in a hospital, and why a £250 laptop costs the government (i.e. taxpayer) £1,000 and so on.
Public sector procurement is clearly done by people who do not understand the basic principles of purchase and supply, or are all on backhanders.
And why it costs £90 to change a light bulb in a hospital, and why a £250 laptop costs the government (i.e. taxpayer) £1,000 and so on.
Public sector procurement is clearly done by people who do not understand the basic principles of purchase and supply, or are all on backhanders.
sitting in my office without lights because it is a PFI funded building and I can't even change a bulb without the permission of the investor. They will come, do risk assessment and then give a quote of £2K for changing a bulb which NHS has to pay!! And all this will take weeks if not months. This is how sad the state of this country is. Thanks God I don't have use my office in the night.
I’m probably classed as middle income. The bills get paid but nowt left afterwards. My daughter never went hungry but then again we only had one child as didn’t think we could afford 2. My point is kids shouldn’t go hungry but at some point the parents who chose to have them should pay for them at some point. Or are you saying I should?
And where has the money gone? If each £30 parcel only had £5 worth of goods then that's £25 x however many rubbish parcels that went out they owe the taxpayer.
Unfortunately the inaccurate reporting has lead to this inaccurate view, the parcel delivered was the £11 option which if the food did cost £5 is a little steep but not robbery with packing, delivery and overheads on top
Dan, it was only meant to be five lunches for a child. Not food for a week. People dived on it to fuel their own political bias. I helped distribute in my area and the quantity and quality was astonishingly good. It was a large box crammed to the brim. An entire loaf of bread. Cans of beans, tomatoes and sweetcorn. Fresh vegetables. An entire pack of pasta. Lots of sweet and pudding items.
Unfortunately, businesses are there to make money and some, not all, will try to provide as limited a service or as crappy a product as they can get away with n order to do that.
Successful companies now get repeat contracts due to donations to the tory party.
" Successful companies rely on repeat business" That is indeed the theory. However, try telling that to suppliers of energy, insurance, etc., whose business model is to rip off existing customers, potentially driving them away and destroying repeat business.
Except companies with nice, cosy government contracts, e.g Serco, Capita, Compass, G4S etc. Those guys need never worry about being questioned over poor delivery of (tax-payer) value and quality. Unless of course they're exposed and shamed in public by consumers and reluctant heroes like Marcus Rashford.
In this case those receiving the service aren't those commissioning the contract. Keeping the middlemen happy is quite different.
Because they are clever and know there is not much check on quality and quantity of food they offer in public services. They will just keep getting the money from government they have got the contract from government. If it was private sector they couldn't dare to provide poor service or cheat.
"That's nonsense. Successful companies rely on repeat business and renewal of contracts. It's in their interest to make improvements while making a profit of course."
Serco and Capita prove this statement false.
Serco and Capita prove this statement false.
The idiot population of the UK, so addled by Eastenders, football and supermarkets, deserve everything they get.
'Tis safer to be dressed like the hound.
'Tis safer to be dressed like the hound.
Don’t forget the populist press Andrew. They addle and pollute those minds not interested in soaps and soccer.
Too little too late.
If the truth were known, most of the contracts the govt has issued (often to cronies) during the pandemic are probably equally incompetent and poor value. But they've been careful to make sure that confidentiality clauses prevent us finding out.
If the truth were known, most of the contracts the govt has issued (often to cronies) during the pandemic are probably equally incompetent and poor value. But they've been careful to make sure that confidentiality clauses prevent us finding out.
Fortunately it was only a couple of businesses who were really profiting off of children's poverty, hoping they could mass deny and pretend nothing happened, unfortunately for them people took evidence. I find it disgusting that they used phrases like "in this instance" and "didn't meet quality standards" as if pushing the blame on staff, pure greed is what it was and they got caught. Shameful.
And if you go on their own website, https://www.compass-group.co.uk/meet-the-family/education-chartwells/ , and go to the bottom of the page that is their idea of a £30 package, it is absolutely rubbish. And nowhere on their site is there a note about their apology either, this shows the company is hiding and hoping a quick PR event of apologising once will take all negative away, but doesn't.
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
They are sorry they got caught more like
why was it a daft scheme? Trying to give kids in poorer families a chance of some decent nourishment each day shouldnt be seen as an opportunity for some chancers to make additional profit. Even under this government.
You can't blame them for trying to make money off the backs of the most vulnerable children in society? Are you serious?
I am not a big fan of handing over the cash to parents or guardians. I know where exactly it will end up in 90% cases.
"manor"?
Why do people mark that down? In the 1970's we did home economics. I can cook great meals from scratch on a budget, and do basic clothing repairs. Has been very useful. Home economics should be a compulsory subject, it is as important as English and maths, and in facts helps with those subjects - weights, measurements, recipes etc.
People should take more responsibility for themselves and their families. Handouts should not be the go to answer work should.
Kids aren't hostages or collateral. If their parents are unable or unwilling to feed them, the state needs to step in. This isn't controversial.
And the article still leads us down the path of the wrong numbers.
Oh, come on. We all know what that food costs in Tesco/Sainsbury/etc, and how much they charge for picking and delivery. Given that this is a predefined set of items in bulk and delivery is by the supplier's chosen route and time, not the customer's, we know that the pick/delivery costs here will be far, far less. And the taxpayer should be paying wholesale, not retail, prices.
Well done BBC for picking a topic that brings out the moaner and the entitlement brigade. Look the company have accepted that they didn't get things right and are making improvements. What more can you ask for?
Yes BBC. How dare you report news. Disgraceful!
If you ever went to a hospitality event run by compass you would find this is no suprise.
So.. as long as I apologise I can do anything without any recourse. Hmmm, I'm glad I don't live in your world. Oh, hang on I do - so I have the right to comment.
Blame the victims.....
Moaner and entitlement brigade? Really? You know School Meals has been around for decades now right, and during a pandemic when some families have no income due to the pandemic, they cannot afford to feed their kids correctly and this was introduced to help alleviate the burden. The company got greedy, got caught, tries to blame staff, and hopes to carry on for a bit and return to their greed.
"It consisted of two carrots, two potatoes and a tin of baked beans and a small range of other food items: she calculated the cost to be only about £5."
=hohohohoho.............oh dear poor kids in the UK, if there is a next life, don't live in the UK, come here to China, food is plenty and so delicious, particularly in the Chinese New Year, you would also receive red envelopes
Oh, no lockdown
=hohohohoho.............oh dear poor kids in the UK, if there is a next life, don't live in the UK, come here to China, food is plenty and so delicious, particularly in the Chinese New Year, you would also receive red envelopes
Oh, no lockdown
No point bringing your political points here, nobody is going to even care about it, because they aren't as stupid as the Chinese net drones who work tirelessly every day pushing propaganda like what you posted for a little amount of Yuan. Lets talk about the kid sweat shops who work and produce goods, or the kids being snatched to sell to couples who can't have kids or want a 2nd. China #1 right?
What are Compass charging for packing and delivery? Why not just continue to give supermarket food vouchers? Whatever the system used, there will be some abuse.
vouchers can be abused to......
They all are!
How? Restaurants are closed and they are hardly likely to slum it with a takeaway.
.... pretty vacant they are ;_
Just stop subsidising the restaurants in the Houses of Parliament.
A disgraceful performance by an awfully managed company which gave terrible service to our most vulnerable people.
Can’t we just all stop for one second and ask ourselves how we let this happen these days...children without enough food should be in a Dickens story only. I’m ashamed.
Can’t we just all stop for one second and ask ourselves how we let this happen these days...children without enough food should be in a Dickens story only. I’m ashamed.
Either they have awful management or they deliberately under delivered.
Have you or anyone you know ever worked for Compass or a subsid?
If so, you wouldn't be asking that question
If so, you wouldn't be asking that question
There speaks the voice of reason. Donate more to food banks; that's the solution. Sadly it's the view of many, including our esteemed leader of the house, The Rt Dishon Jacob Rees Mogg, who recently said soup kitchens fill his heart with joy.
Reliance on charity is an indication of a failed government.
Now look at how much reliance on food banks has increased under the Tories and draw your own conclusions.
Now look at how much reliance on food banks has increased under the Tories and draw your own conclusions.
Because it couldn't have happened with reasonable or average management.
I know the company, that’s why I know it has awful management. Your solution to hungry children is ‘someone else’ donating to a food bank?
I hope your next meal sticks in your throat just a little, perhaps then you’ll think how lucky you are to be eating at all?
I hope your next meal sticks in your throat just a little, perhaps then you’ll think how lucky you are to be eating at all?
Even if you think feeding kids is the job of the parents, some parents can't, or won't.
Feeding kids who aren't being fed is protecting them from their negligent parents, at the very least. Everyone should support this.
The best way to make sure a kid stays trapped in the cycle of poverty and state dependence is to starve them for their entire childhood.
Feeding kids who aren't being fed is protecting them from their negligent parents, at the very least. Everyone should support this.
The best way to make sure a kid stays trapped in the cycle of poverty and state dependence is to starve them for their entire childhood.
Er, and if their parents are that "neglectful" you can be pretty sure the food parcels won't go to the children!
By the way, kids are juvenile goats.
By the way, kids are juvenile goats.
"operating margin climbing to 2.7% to the end of December compared to 0.6% in the previous three months" - I suppose this increase in margin is due to receiving £30 for every £5 food parcel? Abhorrent behaviour, and yet again the shareholders benefitting from other peoples misery.
Homelessness, overcrowding, hungry children; Charles Dickens would be shocked to see Britain in the 21st century.
I don't think he woukd. He always knew the stupidity of people, it shone through his books. I think he WOULD be surprised at the UK definition of "poverty" though, compared to when he was around, and people actually died of starvation rather than "being unable to have one holiday per year" yes, that is an actual definition.
Back when they sent kids to work in cotton mills and down coal mines. Bit of a thick comment really.
They charged the Government and ultimately us £30 per parcel and only supplied £5 of goods. They were trying to up their profits enough said. Like all those Tory mates who were given PPE contracts I expect this to be correctly accounted for.
yes, let's all return to the age of steam trains, Ford Populars, rickets, SPAM, and polio
Lucky old you, I've been the same having, to return food off the conveyor,, but we could afford food, and so it seems can you. And for every scrounger, that is a criminal, there are many many genuine cases.
Fine to say from your perfect world, having been born with money in the bank, mortgage free home and parents earning in the top 1%, sadly not all of us were born into such comfort.
Mine too. In 70s our one family car was off the road, no tax, no insurance. Cycled everywhere. Food was basic, spag bog was supplemented with porridge oats. No foreign holidays. One B&W TV. But we did eat. We did have fun. I think priorities have changed, the subscription lifestyle (netflix, mobile phones, cars, credit etc..) makes life costly.
The world isn't overcrowded; it just has extremely poorly managed resources. For example, the UK only uses about half of its arable land and still relies on food imports. Correctly managed, the UK could be self-sufficient foodwise and actually be a net exporter of food. This pattern is repeated all over the world with prime arable land used for construction or asset holding.
You clearly don’t listen to Sir David Attenborouh then. The world is too overcrowded. The UKs population alone has almost doubled since WWII! That’s ridiculous and unsustainable!
This company's share price has risen sharply in the last few months, instead of meaningless apologies how about substantial donations by directors to NHS charities or similar. Apologies are only meaningful when they are backed by clear reparations
Who would think privatising school meals was a good idea?
If only these parents who take pictures and put them on social media took more interest in what these "little darlings" get up to when they get older..
Lets deal with todays issue...not Daily Mail Headlines.......or does stealing money/food from children by Adults today OK with you
Corporate Greed !
People should take more responsibility for themselves and their families. Handouts should not be the go to answer work should.
I'm going to spend my adult working life making ass wiping robots. Checkmate.
People should take more responsibility for themselves and their families. Handouts should not be the go to answer work should.
We are constantly told that there is a major shortage of labour ,care workers,nurses ,farm labour etc due to EU nationals being unwilling to stay here. Think longer term don't just expect to always get handouts.
Agree. The kids shouldn't suffer, but too many so-called 'parents' taking the mick. I'd scrap Child Benefits and put it into the Education System. If parents won't take responsibility, as a society we should ensure that the future generation don't grow up with the same attitude and break the cycle. So if more care needs providing via schools, it may pay off in the longer term - not just fiscally
Makes you wonder why people have children doesn't it?
If there was ever an incentive to work, surely you would do it for your kids?
Schools shouldn't have to do as much as they do
My dad (I'm 1 of 4 kids) a builder, worked 12 hour days, 7 days a week never taking a bean of National Assistance
Back then, people would've been ashamed to claim
He'd take us on holiday & leave us to go back to work
If there was ever an incentive to work, surely you would do it for your kids?
Schools shouldn't have to do as much as they do
My dad (I'm 1 of 4 kids) a builder, worked 12 hour days, 7 days a week never taking a bean of National Assistance
Back then, people would've been ashamed to claim
He'd take us on holiday & leave us to go back to work
Fortunately it was only a couple of businesses who were really profiting off of children's poverty, hoping they could mass deny and pretend nothing happened, unfortunately for them people took evidence. I find it disgusting that they used phrases like "in this instance" and "didn't meet quality standards" as if pushing the blame on staff, pure greed is what it was and they got caught. Shameful.
And if you go on their own website, https://www.compass-group.co.uk/meet-the-family/education-chartwells/ , and go to the bottom of the page that is their idea of a £30 package, it is absolutely rubbish. And nowhere on their site is there a note about their apology either, this shows the company is hiding and hoping a quick PR event of apologising once will take all negative away, but doesn't.
Only in the UK do people demand free food "because they are starving" then complain that the food is not good enough.
I think the complaint is more about the money these companies are being paid for providing a sub-standard product
1. They are starving. Ask unicef
2. We are demanding it’s not enough as I paid for 30 quid out of my tax money. That’s not what I paid for.
2. We are demanding it’s not enough as I paid for 30 quid out of my tax money. That’s not what I paid for.
Obviously we are on a 'holier than thou' theme this morning! The terms of the contract may be 'loose' but why should they 'lose' it? I am guessing here that you really don't understand about mass supply or have read the full article which states that the company revenue was down by a third in 3 months. Companies make profits, pay tax & employ people. No jobs, no food. Your choice!
I am guessing here that you have a sense of humour breakdown.
"company revenue was down by a third in 3 months".....
yes, and profits up by over four times in the same period.
Go figure.....
yes, and profits up by over four times in the same period.
Go figure.....
Actually, ultimately it was Government's choice and perhaps it should have considered the company's (down revenue) position before awarding the contract. The contract was to provide school lunch equivalents, not to prop up a company in a little financial difficulty ...
"Compass will struggle to pump margins up any time soon." Therein lies the crux of the problem. Every one of these companies exists to "make a profit", whilst at the same time every Council is looking to "cut costs". It's the Council's reasoning for 3rd-party provision to exist in the first place whereas one solution could be for Councils to come together and come up with an In-House solution.
Perhaps a solution for poorer families could be a big house where they are all working for their keep ? This way everything is under one roof. There would be work for everyone apart from the very youngest, say under seven. With one of Boris' chums in charge making £££££ what could possibly go wrong?
People should take more responsibility for their kids.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
If you need paper bags of food from the government to feed your offspring, you need to take a proper look at your finances and get your self together.
The story is about a company being given public funds to provide food for the most vulnerable children in our society and pocketing the difference, only apologising when they were caught red handed. For your comment to criticise the parents shows a complete lack of understanding of poverty and zero empathy to the child who goes to bed hungry through no fault of their own. Disgraceful.
If we assume that the world has enough resources for everyone, then poverty is only caused by an unequal division of wealth. Consequently, all those who have above average are part of the problem, they are not the solution. I am not paid pop star wages or as much as a Premier League footballer but I have more than average so I accept that I am part of the problem.
No Excuse , just a money grabbing, friend of the Tories company owner......
A conglomerate of 40 private companies have shared 10 billions of taxpayer's money under the leadership of dido harding in the name of NHS test and trace. When a patient who is tested positive is admitted to the hospital, NHS T&T flatly refuses the share the data of positive community test result with A&E, forcing the NHS Trust to test the patient again. Tell me, how is this value for money?
If only these parents who take pictures and put them on social media took more interest in what these "little darlings" get up to when they get older..
Only in the UK do people demand free food "because they are starving" then complain that the food is not good enough.
We live in a world where every year 3 trillion dollars are spent with military.
Only in the UK do people demand free food "because they are starving" then complain that the food is not good enough.
No Excuse , just a money grabbing, friend of the Tories company owner......
"It consisted of two carrots, two potatoes and a tin of baked beans and a small range of other food items: she calculated the cost to be only about £5."
=hohohohoho.............oh dear poor kids in the UK, if there is a next life, don't live in the UK, come here to China, food is plenty and so delicious, particularly in the Chinese New Year, you would also receive red envelopes
Oh, no lockdown
=hohohohoho.............oh dear poor kids in the UK, if there is a next life, don't live in the UK, come here to China, food is plenty and so delicious, particularly in the Chinese New Year, you would also receive red envelopes
Oh, no lockdown
No point bringing your political points here, nobody is going to even care about it, because they aren't as stupid as the Chinese net drones who work tirelessly every day pushing propaganda like what you posted for a little amount of Yuan. Lets talk about the kid sweat shops who work and produce goods, or the kids being snatched to sell to couples who can't have kids or want a 2nd. China #1 right?