Tackling Hunger in Schools

The faculty of the South Bank Arts Centre, Bedford, approached WMH&I to help with a project for their 2nd year graphic design students. WMH&I wanted to use this opportunity to tackle the Hunger in Schools problem. In the UK, 1.8 million school children are at risk of hunger each morning. A hungry child cannot concentrate and research shows that hungry children find it more difficult to learn, and are harder to teach as a result.

We believe a great creative idea can create a meaningful difference – from igniting dialogue to initiating long lasting change, also with child hunger.

Chris Ribet, senior creative at WMH&I, headed up this project and asked the students to think of different ways to inspire a call to action. To help them on their way, his brief set out three approaches:

1. Government led awareness campaign
2. Campaign to reform policy led by an NGO
3. Fundraising and activation in collaboration with a brand

Choosing the best idea

The students separated into seven teams and created seven great ideas, which they presented at our studio to a panel of experts from relevant NGO’s, local government and the marketing community. In a Dragon Den’s style format, the judges discussed the projects. After some deliberation, the judges chose “The Whole Truth”, by Alex Wong and Oliver Judd as the winners. Runners up were “Bloom Card” by Amber Serali & Jordan Jones and “20p” , by Grace White & Cameron Dunn. The winners have been awarded an internship at WMH&I.

Chris Ribet says: “By identifying a clear insight about Hunger in Schools, the Bedford College students developed bold, creative and ambitious ideas that tackled the problem head on. Congratulations to the winners and runners up. The Whole Truth stood out as a brave, single-minded campaign delivered in all its unvarnished truth to the policy makers. We look forward to having Alex and Oliver in the WMH studio later this year.”

Many thanks to the judges who gave up their precious time to review, discuss and critique the ideas.

– Ellie Kershaw, Programme Delivery Manager at Tower Hamlets Council, tackling poverty
– Claude Barbe-Brown, Marketing Manager at Inspire
– Molly Long, reporter at Design Week
– Richard Williams, founder of Williams Murray Hamm

And of course many thanks as well to Bedford College and its 2nd year graphic design students.