Martha of Mary’s Meals receives special send-off to Malawi

Top chef Nick Nairn has joined nine-year-old blogger Martha Payne to wish her luck on her travels to Malawi, where she will see the work of her favourite charity Mary’s Meals in action.

Martha and friends of her NeverSeconds blog have so far raised over £114,500 for the charity which will go a long way to helping thousands of the world’s hungriest kids receive a daily meal.

Next month, Martha will travel to Malawi where she will see the kitchen shelter which has been built at Lirangwe School with some of the money raised, and where she will also meet children who will receive a daily meal from Mary’s Meals for a whole school year thanks to support from the blog.

Nick Nairn, who has previously congratulated the nine-year-old on her efforts, cooked up a special porridge breakfast for an excited Martha and wished her well on her travels.

The pair met back in June as part of a group to discuss school meals and food education.

Tucking into bowls of porridge, Nick said: “I’m here to wish Martha every success on her travels to Malawi. She’s achieved an amazing feat – raising huge sums for Mary’s Meals to provide a daily nutritious meal for children in dire need overseas. She’s also done a great job in raising awareness about what’s on offer for school dinners here in Scotland.”

Ongoing donations received through Martha’s online giving page are allowing Mary’s Meals to provide a daily meal to thousands of other hungry children around the world – and with every £10.70 donated, enough to feed a child for a whole school year, that number keeps rising.

In total, thanks to the incredible support for Martha’s NeverSeconds blog, over 10,000 children will receive a daily meal in some of the world’s poorest countries where poverty and hunger prevent them from getting an education.

Commenting on the tremendous achievement, Martha said: ‘I never dreamt we’d achieve so much. I can’t stop thinking about all the children we’re helping. Just 6 pence for Mary’s Meals gives another hungry child a meal.”

Martha and Nick felt it was appropriate to mark the occasion with a porridge breakfast as in Malawi, at Mary’s Meals’ largest project, over half a million children receive a daily nutritious porridge-like dish every school day to attract them to the classroom, where they can gain a basic education.

During her visit to Malawi, Martha hopes to put the finishing touches on the sign for the school kitchen that is being built by Mary’s Meals. She has chosen to name her kitchen in Malawi as ‘Friends of NeverSeconds’ in recognition of the worldwide support which she is receiving.