Two schools in the Get Set network went to the launch of the MacDonalds Open Farm initiative to find out how they are gearing up to feed us all in 2012!
Get Set network learns about plans to feed us in 2012!
28 May 2010
Did you know?
MacDonalds has the support of more than 17500 British farmers who provide the ingredients for more than 55% of their entire menu?
ALL their beef, pork, milk and eggs are sources from Britain and Ireland, and from farm to front counter every produce is traced and tracked.
And now MacDonalds are throwing open the gates to some of these 17500 farms to show the public how they will play a part in supplying the thousands of meals at the Olympic Games in 2012.
Get Set network finds out more
Charlton Manor Primary School and Greenslade Primary School, both members of the Get Set network, attended the launch of the Open Farm initiative to find out more about it.
Read the reports from some of the students:
London 2012: what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner? By Lucy (Greenslade Primary School)
Tuesday the 18th May was a lucky day for seven Greenslade children, who were invited to the Olympic Park to see the McDonald’s press launch for their British Open Farms initiative.
As soon as the children arrived it was off to work at a photo shoot. They were even lucky enough to be photographed with two of the Olympic hopefuls – gold medal winning gymnast Beth Tweddle and a British fencer called Katherine Kempe, as well as farm owners, McDonald’s bosses and even Lord Sebastian Coe. Despite the children’s hard work they only asked for the celebrities autographs in return.
Next, the privileged children were invited to attend a press conference, alongside journalists from leading newspapers. Inside the interview, these few Greenslade children were placed in the front row, to hear the exact words of the speakers including Sebastian Coe. Sebastian knows how important food is to Britain and added, ‘We need to show Britain’s qualities that can also be shown in our food.’
Tonnes of food from British farms will be consumed by many people during the London 2012 Games.
The rough amounts are 300 tonnes of fruit and vegetables, 19 tonnes of eggs and 232 tonnes of potatoes and almost double the amount of beef. This was a big surprise to the Greenslade pupils.
McDonald’s are one of the many sponsors of the Olympics, they hope to do their best to feed the thousands of people involved with the 2012 games. They now wish to keep up the quality of McDonald’s food permanently but are not going to make any drastic changes to the restaurants specifically for the Olympics.
Steve Easterbrook is a very proud sponsor of the Olympics and says quite rightly, ‘Small shopping list but a big trolley to fill.’
Gaurab, also from Greenslade Primary, had the chance to interview one of the farmers. He asked Hazel Hoskin,
‘How many cows do you own?’ She replied with ‘Between 700-800 cows.’ She added that 30 cows were sold each month so 360 cows each year were sold.’
