The demand for free school meals surges

Since January, all P1-3 children have been entitled to free school meals.

Council chiefs have hired new staff, bought new equipment and increased orders from suppliers to deal with expected demand.

Before the changes, around 300 children were eligible for a free school meal but this figure rocketed to almost 3,000 when the new initiative came into force.

Councillor Ashay Ghai, convener of neighbourhood services, said: “We are very pleased that there has been such appetite for the new initiative in East Dunbartonshire schools.”