Councillor Michael Lilley initiated a Ryde annual pancake challenge event in 2016 to raise funds and awareness of food and child poverty and in 2025 he is still flipping!
Pancake Day is on Tuesday 4th March is year and Michael this year is hosting two events that will kick-start two weeks of fundraising, raising awareness, and presenting a Motion on Child and Food Poverty at IW Full Council meeting on 19th March 2025 .
Over ten years, over £16,000 has been raised and the target in 2025 is £1500 to go to Oakfield Community Pantry and Ryde/Isle of Wight FoodBank
Save Oakfield School
This year, Michael has teamed up with Oakfield CofE Primary School especially in its campaign to save Oakfield School from closure as the school is a vital community hub to the Ryde South/East area. It hosts Oakfield Community Pantry which is a lifeline to over 600 local residents.
The Pancake Day challenge starts at 10am at Pickle and Dill, with Chef, Bob Wright defending his title as Champion Flipper (all challengers welcome) and from 11.30am there is pancake making, races and flipping competitions. Winners and contestants will be presented prizes by the Mayor of Ryde, Councillor Richard May, and IW High Sheriff, Graham Biss at 1pm.
High-Heeled veteran campaigner, Peter May will be setting off at 1045am on a pancake flipping walk via Appley Tower and ending up at Oakfield School.
The event is sponsored by Grace’s Bakery, Ryde Community Development Trust and Ryde District Rotary
Tenth year coincides with threatened closure of important school
Michael says,
“Child and food poverty on the Isle of Wight and in Ryde is increasing and I always said that until it reduces significantly, I will continue with my annual campaign and shout out about this issue. It is sad that this tenth year coincides with the threatened closure of an important school that supports so many families experiencing poverty every day.
“Oakfield’s Community Pantry and Ryde FoodBank are based in my Ryde Appley and Elmfield ward and that tells you so much about the poverty in the Ryde South/East area. We need to stand up and standby our neighbours who are having hard times and make sure child and food poverty in the 21st Century is tackled as it is totally unacceptable.”
May: Together we are always stronger
Peter May, Veteran Campaigner of the To Be In Her Shoes Charity Walk states,
“It’s a great pleasure to be involved in the tenth Ryde Big Pancake Day. It’s my third year helping Councillor Michael Lilley fighting food poverty in and around Ryde, we always have a great time but raise valuable funds and awareness whilst doing so.
“At the same time I’m always taking the opportunity to raise awareness of Domestic abuse and help that’s out there for victims and survivors. This year we also supporting the desperate need to save Oakfield Primary school from closure that also houses the community pantry. Together we are always stronger.”
On his motion to Full Council on Child and Food Poverty, Councillor Lilley says,
“I always link the event putting a motion to IW Full Council about child/food poverty and I have submitted this for the 19th March Meeting and this year it focuses on the Government’s two-child cap on benefit, the motion is as follows:”
Motion to Full Council on 19th March 2025: Child and Food Poverty on the Isle of Wight
The Two Child limit to benefit payments was introduced by the Conservative Government in 2017 and is supported by the current Labour Government. It prevents families from claiming Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit for more than two children in the household.
The recent research conducted by the End Child Poverty Coalition which has found that:
- 1.5 million children in the UK live in households subject to the two-child limit on benefit payments. That is roughly one-in-ten children in the UK.
- In 2023/24 the two-child limit cost families up to £3,235 per child each year.
- There is a strong correlation between families affected by the two-child limit and those who are living in poverty.
- Scrapping the two-child limit would lift 250,000 children out of poverty overnight, and significantly reduce the level of poverty that a further 850,000 children live in, including IOW children.
- Scrapping the two-child limit would cost £1.3 billion, however it is estimated that child poverty costs the economy £39 billion each year.
The IW Council’s Anti-Poverty Strategy states:
- In 2014 to 2015, 29.7 per cent of children were living in poverty on the Island. In 2021 to 2022 it had increased to 34.2 per cent.
- There has been a 33 per cent increase on the Island in the use of foodbanks between 2022 and 2023 (1,871 households).
- 1,475 Island residents rely on food pantries just to make ends meet.
- A third of IOW households with children are on universal credit. Half of those are affected by a deduction to repay debt. 25 per cent of Island children are eligible for free school meals.
IW Council resolves to:
Acknowledge that Island children living in poverty would benefit from the scrapping by the Government of the two-child limit to payments and takes the following action:
- Request the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister outlining IW Council’s strong belief that the two-child limit to benefit payments should be scrapped – which would help more Island children out of poverty.
- Request the Chief Executive on behalf of council to write to all of Isle of Wight’s MPs, asking them to commit their public support to the campaign to end the two child limit to benefit payments.
- Ensure the number of children a family has is considered when any support is given out by the council.
- Explore ways to support families impacted by the two-child limit across the Island, including through free school meals and community capacity resilience, HSF and other grant funds as part of the IW Council’s approved anti-poverty strategy.
Further details on Michael’s Facebook Page: (20+) 10th Annual Big Pancake Day | Facebook
IW Food Bank – Isle of Wight Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis
News shared by Michael, in his own words. Ed
