Birthday girl, 9, banned from sharing great-gran's cake with friends as school deems it 'too unhealthy'

Published 17th Oct 2009

It was supposed to be a treat for Olivia Morris to share among her classmates on her ninth birthday.

But no sooner had she blown out the candles on the chocolate cake than it was banned - for failing to comply with healthy eating rules.

Staff informed Olivia's mother Rebecca that birthday cakes were no longer acceptable because they were at odds with the school's healthy living message.

So, instead of sharing it round, Olivia was forced to take the cake home uneaten.

The treat was baked by her great-grandmother Eileen Morris, 79, who described the ban as 'crazy'.

'It was a lovely cake decorated with Maltesers and Jellytots, with chocolate icing and nine pink candles,' she said. 'I understand the need to teach children healthy eating, but surely a birthday cake is a special treat.'

Mrs Morris has been baking cakes for her family to take to school for four decades.

The family tradition began when her own children Mark, now 48, and Jane, 52, started at Rockingham Infant and Junior School in Rotherham.

When her five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren went to the same school she carried on sending in birthday cakes. Mrs Morris, from Kimberworth Park, Rotherham, said she blamed celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for the ban.

He used the South Yorkshire town to launch his Ministry of Food TV show, vowing to teach its residents about healthy eating after parents were spotted passing junk food through school railings to bypass a ban on fast food.

Last night headteacher Heather Green stood by her decision to ban the cake.

'We love celebrating the birthdays of our pupils in class and in assemblies,' she said.

'At the same time, however, we are working really hard to promote healthy eating and lifestyles among our pupils.

It is a tricky balance not to give a mixed message to pupils if we say to them "eat healthily at school" but at the same time we say "bring in cakes and buns to celebrate all our different events".

'We also take into account children with allergies and the pressure that some parents feel they are under to provide such treats.'

Source: ' Daily Mail '

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