apetito has welcomed the launch of the Schools Allergy Code by The Allergy Team, Benedict Blythe Foundation and Independent Schools' Bursars Association (ISBA).

Following the tragic death of five-year old Benedict Blythe, who was allergic to eggs, peanuts, sesame, dairy and chickpeas at school, his mother Helen feared other school children may face the same fate.

Over the last few days, the media has been sharing Benedict’s story and the work Helen has been doing to raise awareness by founding the Benedict Blythe Foundation.

The Foundation has partnered with The Allergy Team and ISBA to launch the Schools Allergy Code, which aims to help protect children with allergies.

The code sets out steps schools can take to keep their pupils safe. This includes allergy awareness training for teachers, dedicated lessons and assemblies on allergies and the need for schools to have comprehensive allergy and anaphylaxis policies in place, as well as individual plans for children with allergies.

Rupert Weber, Head of Education at apetito explains why apetito supports the launch of the Schools Allergy Code, stating:

"We at apetito take real pride in our dedication to offering meals for children that cater to a wide range of dietary requirements including the known 14 allergens. The Allergy Team, Benedict Blythe Foundation and ISBA have developed a really important resource to help ensure schools are allergy aware.

“It is vital that schools recognise the challenges and risks posed to students with food allergies. Each batch of our free-from meals are thoroughly tested to ensure they are free-from the 14 regulated allergens, so schools can serve a wide range of delicious and safe meals they can completely trust and pupils with allergies can enjoy similar meals to their peers.

“Our approach to preparing meals is meticulous, from the careful sourcing of ingredients to the final stages of meal production. Our accredited laboratories and strict procedures make our food one of the safest catering options and ensure that pupils with food allergies can enjoy meals at lunchtimes without having to compromise on flavour, variety and most importantly, safety.

“We believe every student at school should be able to enjoy meals at school, without fear and take every allergies seriously, so our values are deeply aligned with the new Schools Allergy Code’s principles of good practice.”

Discover more about apetito’s free-from range here: https://apetito.link/Schoolallergies