Promoting positivity to pupils

Lunch Bag in collaboration with better mental health campaign

In the midst of the back-to-school rush, Nenagh-based school meal provider The Lunch Bag have decided to utilise their ever increasing reach to promote positivity throughout the classrooms of Ireland.

The Lunch Bag is the only school meal provider to supply both DEIS and non-DEIS schools. Spanning 20 counties, the service is currently undergoing major expansion with the recent announcement that all school children in Ireland will receive a free hot meal service by 2030.

With this expansion in mind, The Lunch Bag CEO Ray Nangle and MD Ger Killian (recently nominated for the EY entrepreneur of the year) wanted to leverage their success for the benefit of 117,000 children that use their service. The duo have recently announced details of their collaboration with Brent Pope, esteemed rugby analyst and founder of Elephant in the Room.

Mental Health Activist Brent Pope established Elephant in the Room to raise mental health awareness from the classroom to the boardroom. The concept, to talk about the ‘elephant in the room’ seeks to encourage people to open-up and talk about their challenges.

“With over 600 schools availing of our service, we are acutely aware of the scope we have to create positive messaging in the classroom,” stated Mr Nangle. “We want to provide a service that not just serves children physically, but mentally as well, and Elephant in the Room was the perfect fit.”

The collaboration was announced at the launch of an ‘Elephant in the Room’ auction which took place recently at the CHQ Building on Dublin’s Custom House Quay. U2's Adam Clayton, former broadcaster Charlie Bird and comedian PJ Gallagher are among the celebrities who have teamed up with high-profile artists to create designs on four foot baby elephant sculptures for online auction. All profits will go to Samaritans, who offer a 24/7 helpline for those in need.

“There are too many instances of individuals who are unsure how to talk about their feelings or ask for help,” Brent said. “With The Lunch Bag, our collaborative goal is to promote the building blocks of good communication and friendship from early childhood, so the next generation have the basic tools they need, to not only express themselves safely, but provide a safe space for one another to confide.”

The new school term will see The Lunch Bag’s compostable packaging filled with child friendly guidance on how to be a good friend and an active listener, with various supports for school staff. The idea is to highlight fun commonalities with how elephants build their herd and communicate without language and aims to encourage positive conversations around mental wellness.

The collaboration will see a reach of over one million children a month across 600 schools with plans to expand the scope of the collaborative partnership throughout the year.

FURTHER DETAILS

For more information, visit The Lunch Bag Socials.