The official launch of RISE brought together key stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing Free School Meals
In April 2025, Cardiff University received £1.6million funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to lead a research project exploring the provision, uptake and consumption of free school meals in primary schools. Reducing Inequalities in School Food Environments (RISE): Supporting provision, uptake and consumption of Free School Meals in primary schools is supported by Public Health Wales, LACA and the Children’s Commissioner for Wales. The research team includes public health academics from Cardiff University, Glasgow Caledonia University, Newcastle University and Queen’s University Belfast.
A range of insights
The launch, which took place in Cardiff University’s SPARK building, was chaired by Professor Kevin Morgan and featured a full day of presentations from leading academics and practitioners, with plenty of opportunities for discussion and networking. Professor Morgan opened with Reflections on the Public Plate, setting the tone for a day focused on equity, sustainability, and the lived realities of school food environments. The morning sessions introduced the four core work packages of RISE, with overviews from Lead Investigator Dr Sara Long, Co-Investigator Dr Rochelle Embling and Co-Principal Investigator Dr Kelly Morgan. The discussion generated valuable feedback on research processes from the stakeholders that will inform the study going forward.
The event’s second theme focused on the broader policy-practice-research landscape. Speakers included: Judith Gregory (LACA) on procurement and provision priorities; Dr Julie Bishop (Public Health Wales) on the population health implications of free school meals; Jonathan Tench on building a sustainable food system in Wales and Professor Jayne Woodside on the GENIUS School Food Network and the Northern Ireland context.
The afternoon continued with insights from Rachel Bath on how RISE aligns with Public Health Wales’ vision for children’s health; Gareth Thomas and Cara Lewis (Welsh Local Government Association) on supporting policy implementation; Dr Judi Kidger on findings from a Universal free school meal evaluation in two English secondary schools; Professor John McKendrick on school meals in Scottish primary schools and Dr Suzanne Spence presented an overview of work focussing on North East England.
Addressing society’s challenges
In the words of Professor Morgan, the event offered a ‘multi-dimensional perspective’ on a complex issue. Topics ranged from research methods to nutrition, sustainability, stigma and compliance in a frequently changing nutritional standards landscape. Key themes throughout the day included:
- The role of procurement and policy in shaping school food environments
- Barriers and enablers to parental uptake of free school meals
- The nutritional content of meals served and consumed in school dining halls
- The broader implications for child health and sustainable food systems
Principal Investigator Dr Long said: ‘RISE is exploring the importance of school food in the context of key societal challenges such as health, wellbeing and sustainability, all through the lens of the current cost of living crisis. It is vital to align policy-practice-research agendas around school food, and bringing together a wide range of stakeholders today for debate and discussion is a significant step towards this.’
More about RISE can be found on the RISE study page: https://decipher.uk.net/research/reducing-inequalities-in-school-food-environments-rise-supporting-provision-uptake-and-consumption-of-free-school-meals-in-primary-schools/
