Dorset school meals provider, Local Food Links, has been praised for its food parcels being provided to families during lockdown.

There has been a lot of negativity around the free school meal parcels with many photos being shared of inadequate food boxes with little or no fresh food.

But schools have come to the defence of Local Food Links, which operates from St Michael's Trading Estate in Bridport and provides meals to schools across Dorset, including Prince of Wales, Damers First School, St Mary's Catholic First School and St Osmund's Middle School.

Caroline Morgan, chief executive of Local Food Links, said: "Our staff have been working incredibly hard providing a mixture of hot meals, packed lunches and food parcels - whatever works for schools - and they have been very upset by the negativity in the national press surrounding school caterers. Some of us try really hard to do the right thing.

"I have also received several amazing messages of support from our schools this week, they are our partners and know that we try to provide the very best.

"Please know that almost every penny is spent on food and that is why we asked for donations of boxes.

"We were so touched by the local support that we decided to 'pay it forward' and supplied sandwiches and cake at the vaccination clinic at Bridport Medical Centre on Wednesday this week."

Local Food Links has received a number of emails from schools across Dorset.

Sarah Sherwin, finance and business manager of Dunbury Academy near Blandford, said: "I sat watching the news this week with a heavy heart, actually due to the fact that I was sad to hear there were so many families around the country disappointed with the food parcels they had received. For us, this couldn't be further from the truth.

"When the food parcels details were received, I got on with the job of contacting families to tell them what was on offer and to ensure all that wanted a parcel would then get one.

"The list I was reading out to them was very comprehensive and I was impressed by the variety and quantity that was available. They included a loaf of bread, some jacket potatoes, cheese, yoghurt, milk, five portions of fresh fruit, tuna or eggs, cucumber, tomatoes, tinned beans and sweetcorn, and a pack of sliced meat.

"Some of our families actually said they were ok and would like their food parcel offered to other families in greater need. There really are some lovely families in our community.

"Our parcels arrived on Monday as promised, at the exact time they were promised for, and were overflowing with lovely fresh and store cupboard goods that our families would be able to enjoy.

"We are very fortunate that our food provider looks after us and our community so well, and I sat watching the news thinking, 'what about the good stories, what about those companies that under incredible stress and constant change, have pulled this out of the bag with little or no notice and done it extremely well?'"

Staff at Beaminster St Mary's Academy shared a photo of the food parcels they received and praised Local Food Links.

A spokesman said: "This is what our wonderful local and non-profit-making school caterers are providing this week for each child to enable parents to cook or prepare five lunches during the school week.

"I am very tired of seeing all the negative posts regarding children going hungry and inadequate amounts being supplied for children. Remember people, everyone is fighting to survive at the moment and that means companies like this also."

When Caroline contacted the school to thank them, the school secretary said: "After all the negativity and knowing how hard you all work there, I couldn't hold it in any longer. Keep up the good work team LFL, you are such a big-hearted bunch."

What is included in Local Food Links' food parcel?

Bread - one loaf of wholemeal bread or one pack of tortilla wraps

Vegetables - one cucumber, 500g carrots, pack of cherry tomatoes, one tin of sweetcorn, one large onion, one tin of tomatoes

Carbohydrates - two baking potatoes or 500g bag of pasta

Fruit - five portions of fresh fruit - apples, satsumas, bananas

Protein - one tin of tuna, six eggs, one tin of baked beans, 250g of cooked, sliced ham

Cheese - 200g block of cheese

Yoghurts - five individual serving yoghurt pots

Milk - one litre or two pints of semi-skimmed milk

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