PTWM #57 Raising the Covid infection rate, one "support bubble" at a time

[Lucyinthesky88]

Just seen this on Instagram and while I’m not sure it’s the best idea at least this person has said they will be totally transparent with receipts of where the donations are going. I STILL can’t believe Rachel received PayPal donations without ever having to do this

View attachment 385707

 

[Skirmish1979]

Regular's from the last few months are

Sheepers Slippers
Porky Penguin
The Week Junior
Hey Fresto
Iconic Make Up
Floral Street
Popsa Photo Frames
Lego
Pranomat
Tesco
Tesco Mobile
Bold/The Joy of Clean
Hasbro (Monopoly)
Amazon Kindle (still never seen E use this)
WWE Battlegrounds
EUFY cameras
Huggies Pull Ups Explorers

ETA - there has been others but these are the ones where there has been more than 1 #ad so must have a contract for them.

Don’t bother messaging porky penguins, pratonamat or sheepers, they’re all buddies

 

[Dorothy-redshoes]

Just seen this on Instagram and while I’m not sure it’s the best idea at least this person has said they will be totally transparent with receipts of where the donations are going. I STILL can’t believe Rachel received PayPal donations without ever having to do this

View attachment 385707

Thats how it should be

 

[Devondoll]

I've just sent a long email to tesco. First time I've contacted a company but honestly its disgusting.

ETA, also contacted lego.

 

[Dinnerbag]

Thought I would Wade in on the whole Rachel not sharing the real issue here.....I’m on the other side of the coin as my username indicates.....
Children get an allocation of 2.20 a day when on free school meals.
what happens is, it isn’t actually £2.20.....by the time we take costing of the food per portion, gas, electric, wages, packaging etc we barely break even. £2.20 x 5 is £11 a week. Parents are getting either a £15 voucher to spend as they please (although no alcohol or cigarettes can be purchased with them) so straight away that’s a £4 deficit. Because schools are still open for key worker and vulnerable kids the over heads are the same. So say we get out of the £2.20 £1 towards the cost of food, by rights there’s £1 left after the deficit to make a “hamper”
Each hamper will be different depending on circumstances so a parent with a 5yr old will have a totally different hamper to a family with 3 teenagers. In an ideal world they have the same allocated money, but that’s where you claw back and be able to do offer older children more. It’s wrong but that’s how it is. I can’t comment on these big catering companies because we are “in house” and run our own kitchen feeding 2000 kids daily. 40% of our intake is free school meals.
but don’t get that confused with pupil premium as that’s a completely different thing and nothing to do with free school meals. I hope I’m making sense. What I’m trying to say is you need to look at the pictures in context not just think that’s not £15 of food.
my other half isn’t working, he’s self employed and can’t because he goes in peoples houses and they have all cancelled on him, I’m working but a week in and a week off, our bills are still the same....in fact even more because all electronics are on during the day, and heating and the kids aren’t happy with a bowl of cereal for brekkie, pack up lunch and then tea....no I’m getting home to a side full of pots after their 5 meals a day....
Maybe what I’m trying to say is look at it objectively, at least they are getting something......a lot that are on benefits their income hasn’t changed. Ours has drastically, but you budget for it.

the photo that’s easy 5 lunches....not a week or 3 meals a day for a week.....

 

[Catlady1]

Thought I would Wade in on the whole Rachel not sharing the real issue here.....I’m on the other side of the coin as my username indicates.....
Children get an allocation of 2.20 a day when on free school meals.
what happens is, it isn’t actually £2.20.....by the time we take costing of the food per portion, gas, electric, wages, packaging etc we barely break even. £2.20 x 5 is £11 a week. Parents are getting either a £15 voucher to spend as they please (although no alcohol or cigarettes can be purchased with them) so straight away that’s a £4 deficit. Because schools are still open for key worker and vulnerable kids the over heads are the same. So say we get out of the £2.20 £1 towards the cost of food, by rights there’s £1 left after the deficit to make a “hamper”
Each hamper will be different depending on circumstances so a parent with a 5yr old will have a totally different hamper to a family with 3 teenagers. In an ideal world they have the same allocated money, but that’s where you claw back and be able to do offer older children more. It’s wrong but that’s how it is. I can’t comment on these big catering companies because we are “in house” and run our own kitchen feeding 2000 kids daily. 40% of our intake is free school meals.
but don’t get that confused with pupil premium as that’s a completely different thing and nothing to do with free school meals. I hope I’m making sense. What I’m trying to say is you need to look at the pictures in context not just think that’s not £15 of food.
my other half isn’t working, he’s self employed and can’t because he goes in peoples houses and they have all cancelled on him, I’m working but a week in and a week off, our bills are still the same....in fact even more because all electronics are on during the day, and heating and the kids aren’t happy with a bowl of cereal for brekkie, pack up lunch and then tea....no I’m getting home to a side full of pots after their 5 meals a day....
Maybe what I’m trying to say is look at it objectively, at least they are getting something......a lot that are on benefits their income hasn’t changed. Ours has drastically, but you budget for it.

the photo that’s easy 5 lunches....not a week or 3 meals a day for a week.....

Just shows you that the media (and people jumping on the band wagon )never actually ask the people on the front line for the actual facts. Interesting info Dinner bag

 

[Lucyinthesky88]

Thought I would Wade in on the whole Rachel not sharing the real issue here.....I’m on the other side of the coin as my username indicates.....
Children get an allocation of 2.20 a day when on free school meals.
what happens is, it isn’t actually £2.20.....by the time we take costing of the food per portion, gas, electric, wages, packaging etc we barely break even. £2.20 x 5 is £11 a week. Parents are getting either a £15 voucher to spend as they please (although no alcohol or cigarettes can be purchased with them) so straight away that’s a £4 deficit. Because schools are still open for key worker and vulnerable kids the over heads are the same. So say we get out of the £2.20 £1 towards the cost of food, by rights there’s £1 left after the deficit to make a “hamper”
Each hamper will be different depending on circumstances so a parent with a 5yr old will have a totally different hamper to a family with 3 teenagers. In an ideal world they have the same allocated money, but that’s where you claw back and be able to do offer older children more. It’s wrong but that’s how it is. I can’t comment on these big catering companies because we are “in house” and run our own kitchen feeding 2000 kids daily. 40% of our intake is free school meals.
but don’t get that confused with pupil premium as that’s a completely different thing and nothing to do with free school meals. I hope I’m making sense. What I’m trying to say is you need to look at the pictures in context not just think that’s not £15 of food.
my other half isn’t working, he’s self employed and can’t because he goes in peoples houses and they have all cancelled on him, I’m working but a week in and a week off, our bills are still the same....in fact even more because all electronics are on during the day, and heating and the kids aren’t happy with a bowl of cereal for brekkie, pack up lunch and then tea....no I’m getting home to a side full of pots after their 5 meals a day....
Maybe what I’m trying to say is look at it objectively, at least they are getting something......a lot that are on benefits their income hasn’t changed. Ours has drastically, but you budget for it.

the photo that’s easy 5 lunches....not a week or 3 meals a day for a week.....

Just to add that not all children who are in receipt of FSM have parents solely on benefits, I work lunchtimes in a school, my husband works but 0 hours so we have unstable income and atm are entitled to FSM. Our income has plummeted since November and we’ve just had to have second food bank assistance of the year.

 

[Dinnerbag]

I did say a lot....that doesn’t mean all!!! I do know, we applied for them last lockdown but weren’t entitled as I earned £100 over the threshold for the year. but I bet any help you have had your grateful for and not moaned about it....that was my point. Not to get into a whole benefits vs working argument. I just wanted people to see the other side of it. Not just “that’s not £15 worth of food”

 

[Gizthegoss]

She’s going to have competition from Seb soon on Instagram. He’s actually good at what he does ( we are a bmx/ scooter family) and that video of him doing that trick has been shared by some good scooter riders.
He’s also wise beyond his years. Some people were criticising the trick saying it wasn’t that good and rather than bite he just says “I know it wasn’t that good but i will redo it soon and it will better.” Even told two people to stop debating about it.

Imagine her “please notice me” comments on his posts if he were to get famous? “I’m so lucky I get to be your mummy ”

 

[MrsOgre]

Imagine her “please notice me” comments on his posts if he were to get famous? “I’m so lucky I get to be your mummy ”

Oh god it would be like her infamous birthday posts except it would be all about what happened in family court etc etc.

 

[EmilyChambers]

This is the trouble when private individuals take on public duties such as providing services for people in their hour of need. They need to make a profit. It’s a bit like CICs and pay pal donations. Something PTWM should know all about.

They've already defended themselves by saying that the food is so little as they have to pay staffing costs and associated building costs in order to prepare the pitiful excuse of a lunch box. Absolutely shocking but you are right, they aren't doing it out the kindness of their hearts, its all about the money. I reckon at least 50% profit, if not more.

 

[FridaK]

I did say a lot....that doesn’t mean all!!! I do know, we applied for them last lockdown but weren’t entitled as I earned £100 over the threshold for the year. but I bet any help you have had your grateful for and not moaned about it....that was my point. Not to get into a whole benefits vs working argument. I just wanted people to see the other side of it. Not just “that’s not £15 worth of food”

You voted for Brexit didn’t you?
To be fair that picture you’ve shared there was one of the more generous boxes. Some of them, dependant on school and whether they are outsourcing contracts are ridiculous. 3/4 of a plastic cup full of Tuna is just .

There are two sides to every argument and in an ideal world you would have access to the correct funding to feed these kids. Though we don’t live in an ideal world and if people can provide evidence to help hold the Government to account on areas they are failing, I think they should. But that said, as in every situation, parents hold some accountability for feeding their children too. There are always people that abuse the system and people that are genuinely in need that will work with what they have. If the department of education tried to work with individual schools instead of just using blanket policy for all, we’d be much better off.

Incidentally I do think the general issue is not about the means tested element of FSM (which is a relatively consistent argument that people have all the time, i.e ‘why are they on benefits’) and more about the government fielding out highly paid contracts to Tory donors and them under providing in order to profit.

 

[Dorothy-redshoes]

To be honest, those pictures of some of the lunches are more than what I have been given... iv been given nothing, not even vouchers we recieve fsm and some pupils in the same class as my son have recieved either food or vouchers. But we aren't desperate right now so I will call the school and tell them to hand mine over to the families in the school that really are desperate right now. (That doesn't mean I shouldn't be entitled,it just means we have budgeted better this month)

 

[You can't hide now]

Thought I would Wade in on the whole Rachel not sharing the real issue here.....I’m on the other side of the coin as my username indicates.....
Children get an allocation of 2.20 a day when on free school meals.
what happens is, it isn’t actually £2.20.....by the time we take costing of the food per portion, gas, electric, wages, packaging etc we barely break even. £2.20 x 5 is £11 a week. Parents are getting either a £15 voucher to spend as they please (although no alcohol or cigarettes can be purchased with them) so straight away that’s a £4 deficit. Because schools are still open for key worker and vulnerable kids the over heads are the same. So say we get out of the £2.20 £1 towards the cost of food, by rights there’s £1 left after the deficit to make a “hamper”
Each hamper will be different depending on circumstances so a parent with a 5yr old will have a totally different hamper to a family with 3 teenagers. In an ideal world they have the same allocated money, but that’s where you claw back and be able to do offer older children more. It’s wrong but that’s how it is. I can’t comment on these big catering companies because we are “in house” and run our own kitchen feeding 2000 kids daily. 40% of our intake is free school meals.
but don’t get that confused with pupil premium as that’s a completely different thing and nothing to do with free school meals. I hope I’m making sense. What I’m trying to say is you need to look at the pictures in context not just think that’s not £15 of food.
my other half isn’t working, he’s self employed and can’t because he goes in peoples houses and they have all cancelled on him, I’m working but a week in and a week off, our bills are still the same....in fact even more because all electronics are on during the day, and heating and the kids aren’t happy with a bowl of cereal for brekkie, pack up lunch and then tea....no I’m getting home to a side full of pots after their 5 meals a day....
Maybe what I’m trying to say is look at it objectively, at least they are getting something......a lot that are on benefits their income hasn’t changed. Ours has drastically, but you budget for it.

the photo that’s easy 5 lunches....not a week or 3 meals a day for a week.....

For me the issue is that these private companies, always with a link to the Tory party, are just handed contracts worth millions and these companies are unfit for purpose. We've seen it time and time again over the last few months. PPE, track and trace, laptops for vulnerable kids. The lunch thing is another in a long line of failures that only benefit the already rich.

Doesn't matter how it's spun, the company has been given £30 and has sent out food worth approx £5. That's a hell of a profit off the back of hungry kids.

Bringing it back to Rachaeaeaele, she could have shared a post and some photos and actually spoken about what's going on. She could have signposted people to eat that frog or similar. Instead she's made no effort by the look of it to find out anything and even if she did I doubt she'd understand it. She'll share Marcus Rashford's posts, stick a broken heart emoji on there and consider it job done. And her followers will fall for it and tell her she's amazing.

She's meaningless. There is no depth to anything she does.

 

[Dinnerbag]

@FridaK no brexit talk here unless it’s Rachel removing her arse from the sofa.
and your right, I just wanted to point out the challenges I face, it’s not all black and white. I can’t help but think some of the photos were ok that I saw shared and people moaning about them....
Other photos were bad, some of the problem stems from some parents being unable to cook, I’m been serious, some parents just do not know how to turn a bag of pasta, some tuna and mayonnaise into a meal.
the whole system needs a overhaul, bring it back to basics, schools need to be asking why children are on free school meals. If it’s an employment issue then look deeper, in most deprived areas we have generations of women that have never worked, a family up the street had Nanna, mum, daughter and now the daughter is pregnant. It’s the cycle that needs breaking and then parenting cooking classes, show them how to make a bolognaise and turn it into chilli and rice the next night. It’s not just about poverty, it’s about seeing the reason and working from there. But that won’t happen because children’s centres are closing with no funding.
Chart wells are arseholes. My kids go to a chart wells caterered school. Will pop the price list up for you all to see and work out what a FSM child can get. I know they do a meal deal, hot meal, pudding and a beaker of cordial for £2.50.....
We do, hot meal pudding and a bottle of juice for the same price, but all hot meals and sandwiches are £1.50 and the cakes, pizzas and drinks are all 50p so they can mix and match if they wish.
the whole system stinks. I could go on and on about what I see on a daily basis that breaks my heart but I would be here all day.

 

[Skirmish1979]

@FridaK no brexit talk here unless it’s Rachel removing her arse from the sofa.
and your right, I just wanted to point out the challenges I face, it’s not all black and white. I can’t help but think some of the photos were ok that I saw shared and people moaning about them....
Other photos were bad, some of the problem stems from some parents being unable to cook, I’m been serious, some parents just do not know how to turn a bag of pasta, some tuna and mayonnaise into a meal.
the whole system needs a overhaul, bring it back to basics, schools need to be asking why children are on free school meals. If it’s an employment issue then look deeper, in most deprived areas we have generations of women that have never worked, a family up the street had Nanna, mum, daughter and now the daughter is pregnant. It’s the cycle that needs breaking and then parenting cooking classes, show them how to make a bolognaise and turn it into chilli and rice the next night. It’s not just about poverty, it’s about seeing the reason and working from there. But that won’t happen because children’s centres are closing with no funding.
Chart wells are arseholes. My kids go to a chart wells caterered school. Will pop the price list up for you all to see and work out what a FSM child can get. I know they do a meal deal, hot meal, pudding and a beaker of cordial for £2.50.....
We do, hot meal pudding and a bottle of juice for the same price, but all hot meals and sandwiches are £1.50 and the cakes, pizzas and drinks are all 50p so they can mix and match if they wish.
the whole system stinks. I could go on and on about what I see on a daily basis that breaks my heart but I would be here all day.

I’m shocked you can buy fizzy drink and sweets!

Not trying to be ‘high & mighty...but that’s what my kids would buy rather than a sandwich!!

 

[Dinnerbag]

I’m shocked you can buy fizzy drink and sweets!

Not trying to be ‘high & mighty...but that’s what my kids would buy rather than a sandwich!!

Yep...that’s chart wells...not allowed but it’s there

 

[Fcuk38]

Regardless how talented Seb is, they should still, as parents, be making him stay home. It’s lockdown, and for a bloody good reason! About 20 kids in this video alone, most of them not distancing

View attachment 385649

Well it’s a bit like Garden centres isn’t it keep them open and People will go. Skatepark’s are open (they wouldn’t actually be able to close them unless parks are locked.) You are allowed out for exercise so people will take advantage of it and I don’t think the rules here are clear tbh. My 11 year old hasn’t been to a skate park since November normally there weekly. That’s only because the police went in the park and broke up groups and I told him if he gets caught he pays the bill... that put him off.

 

[Katkitten]

To be honest, those pictures of some of the lunches are more than what I have been given... iv been given nothing, not even vouchers we recieve fsm and some pupils in the same class as my son have recieved either food or vouchers. But we aren't desperate right now so I will call the school and tell them to hand mine over to the families in the school that really are desperate right now. (That doesn't mean I shouldn't be entitled,it just means we have budgeted better this month)

But if you are entitled you should not feel bad, will your food actually go to others or will it just not be accounted for, I personally would have taken it and then passed it on to friend or family that are in need of it. But kudos to you for being so kind

@Dinnerbag I worked as a dinner lady 23 years ago, every item of the meals were weighed and portion to within a inch of a life. Some meals ran out so some kids didn’t have a choice they literally got to eat what was given like it or not, it’s heartbreaking. I have a friend with 2 children who is going through this right now, I popped her a little surprise box of essentials today, she cried. But I would cry more knowing she would be suffering at not being able to feed her kids properly.

 

[Dorothy-redshoes]

But if you are entitled you should not feel bad, will your food actually go to others or will it just not be accounted for, I personally would have taken it and then passed it on to friend or family that are in need of it. But kudos to you for being so kind

I'm not too sure actually,now you have said that, it probably is best to take it myself and then give it to another parent. Thank you