Provide Catering for Staff and Students with Dietary Requirements at University Centre Weston

There are many valid reasons why people have dietary requirements, these may be ethical, religious or for health reasons. University Centre Weston have not surveyed their staff or students, to understand their dietary needs. They have no idea of the scale of the problem posed, by the lack of suitable food options, provided by their contracted catering company.

Every person should have the right to a warm and nutritious meal. Your student representatives have raised this issue to the UCW, time and again, for years. The issue has always been ignored. Staff and Students at UCW are left to make unhealthy food choices, or with no food at all; affecting their health and inevitably their academic and professional performance. This is not acceptable.
UCW advertises “Safeguarding our students, staff and visitors is an important issue to us.” “Safeguarding means:” “Promotion of your health and development” “Ensuring you are offered the best life chances” Ignoring their staff and student’s dietary requirements, is contrary to these statements.

Students at Loxton campus, are not even provided with facilities; to prepare and store safely, their own food. As a further blow to staff and students, to prevent people consuming their own food, the canteen has now started charging those who do not purchase a meal from them, for the use of cutlery!

There are many universities who set an example of how it is possible to cater for their staff and student’s dietary requirements. The fact that UCW, have contracted a catering company, who refuse to, is an embarrassment to their establishment. Some examples are provided:
Kent University: https://www.kent.ac.uk/catering/dietary-requirements.html
University of Bath: http://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/food-allergen-information-and-dietary-requirements/
University of Leeds: http://gfal.leeds.ac.uk/dietary-requirements/
University of Portsmouth: http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/services/catering/events/menus/dietaryrequirements/
University of Sunderland: https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/help/contact-us/campuses/dietary-requirements/
University of York: https://www.york.ac.uk/cucina-hospitality/dietary-requirements/

UCW are putting the business needs of their contracted catering company, above that of the welfare of their staff and students. They are repeatedly ignoring their students, who repeatedly raise this issue, at student representative meetings. It is time for the Principal of UCW to take this matter seriously. To survey its staff and students, to understand fully the extent of this issue. They must implement immediate change so they are able to fulfil their safeguarding promises, allowing their students to be healthy and fulfil their academic and professional potential. Do not allow UCW to ignore this issue any longer, Together we can bring change. The first stage is this petition.