Jackie Schneider is a grass roots campaigner. She has led many successful campaigns in her local area – most recently saving a local playing field in Morden.

Her biggest campaign to date has been to improve school meals in London Borough of Merton. Frustrated by the seeming inability of teachers, heads and health professionals to do anything to improve the quality of substandard school food being served to Merton school children she set up “Merton Parent’s for Better food in schools”. The group led a lively campaign and collected overwhelming evidence of poor quality provision. As well as bringing the problem to the local authority’s attention the group also worked out successful strategies in order to help the authority dramatically improve its service.

As a direct result of the campaign school food in Merton was transformed - kitchens built in every primary school, new catering contract specifications, new catering company appointed and the end of the hated plastic prison trays!

In 2006 she won a Shelia McKecknie award for consumer action, was shortlisted as a school food hero by the Soil Association and runner up for teacher of the year in the South London Press, “our heroes” Awards.

She was appointed a Food for Life Partnership Advisor in 2007 and to the board of The School Food Trust in Nov 2008 - 2011.

Jackie has had a break from teaching to work for The Children’s Food Campaign. This has involved taking on the food industry, campaigning to restrict the amount of junk food ads children are exposed to and fighting to get free school meals for all children who live under the poverty line.

She is now back in the classroom full time. She has 3 children. Her current campaign obsessions are defending public libraries, the NHS and comprehensive education. She can be found tweeting about these subjects @jackieschneider.