In an ongoing cost of living crisis, now more than ever students need affordable, healthy, hot meals - sign the petition and get involved in the fight for fair food!
In 2022, the Union's officer team fought for cost of living measures at ARU as an inflationary crisis began to hit the UK.
As a part of this fight, we secured a £1 meal available from ARU canteens. This was a hot, vegitarian meal as to be as accessible to students from all backgrounds, and be a healthy alternative to something like chips.
It was immensly popular, often with long queues in order to get a portion. In SSLCs, course representatives would cite praise from their coursemates about how the £1 meal meant they could afford food on campus without break the bank and without having to resort to less healthy options.
At the start of this academic year (2025/26), ARU annouced they would be removing £1 meal provisions across the board, stating that it was not affordable to the university to provide students with a good meal, amongst other excuses such as it was being used too much by staff.
Students have resoundingly rejected this reasoning - with high tutition fees and more students than ever having to work alongside study, now more than ever the student body should have access to the £1 meal.
A grassroots petition has been started by students who want to bring back the £1 meal and you can sign it too, following this link!
But its not enough to only sign a petition, we need students organising together, to bring the university to the negotitiating table and get a fair deal for food.
If you want to be part of the movement on campus to bring back the £1 meal, email Jo Bunkle, the Union's Liberation & Campaigns Coordinator, to get involved - j.bunkle@angliastudent.com