CHILDREN across Dorset have been enjoying their hot school meals once again, as a local caterer finds new ways to supply schools during the coronavirus crisis.

Local Food Links (LFL), a Dorset-based catering company, has started preparing meals for pupils across the county after an extended absence due to the pandemic.

All four of LFL's Dorset Kitchens have now re-opened and, with many schools having to adapt to the current situation, LFL is working with schools to find new ways of working.

Some schools will be offering hot meals and others have requested packed lunches for the first few weeks of term.

LFL is an independent caterer and a not-for-profit social enterprise that supplies 3,700 meals a day to 55 schools in Dorset, Somerset and Devon. One of these, The Prince of Wales First School in Dorchester, shared photos of pupils eating and socialising in their 'bubbles' and headteacher Gary Spracklen said: “You can’t beat a nice roast dinner on your first day back.”

LFL has also launched a brand new online ordering system to make it easy for busy parents to order school meals on the go – it is optimised for mobile phone usage and is really simple to operate. The company says that feedback from schools and parents has been very positive.

Chief executive, Caroline Morgan said, “We’re proud to be a business for good and are delighted to be supplying our schools in a way that works for them this term.”