WITH TV chef Jamie Oliver's recent healthy school dinners campaign still simmering away, one school near Redditch has introduced hot school dinners for the first time in its history

Until Easter, the school dinners debate had been irrelevant for Tardebigge First School as children were forced to sit in classrooms with a packed lunch because they had no hall.

But with the completion of the village's new community hall and the recruitment of a catering company, pupils are enjoying hot meals for the first time.

Headteacher Sue Helps said: "The journey towards introducing high quality and healthy cooked meals has been a very long one.

"The initiative could only be contemplated with the completion of the hall as we had no space to serve meals and seat 150 children.

"Once the hall had been built, research into the suitability of various providers began with an emphasis on locally sourced fresh produce and limited use of processed foods."

A final decision by Mrs Helps, governor Marion Wormington and a group of parents from each school class saw Shropshire-based Shire Services win the contract.

Mrs Helps added: "Staff, parents and children are very impressed with the variety and the quality of the food.

"Starting the introduction of this service from scratch in the community hall has involved many different user groups, the hall committee and members of the community.

"The Sunshine Alphabet Club is also enjoying the meals and members of the community are joining the children to benefit from the outstanding quality.

"The support of a very loyal but small group of lunchtime supervisors has been essential in ensuring the smooth introduction and co-ordinator Julie Chatterley and her team have worked really hard to ensure the children enjoy their new routine."