Gateshead council hopes by giving children joining the reception year of primary school five days worth of free lunches, it will boost the take-up of school meals. Currently, 45 per cent of children in Gateshead eat school lunches - a figure slightly higher than the national average. Catherine Donovan, cabinet member for children and young people at the council, said: "Hopefully, by giving children the chance to try out nutritious lunches for free, it will show them, and their parents, how...