Sir Paul McCartney wants to see more vegan lunch options in UK schools.
The 78-year-old rocker and his daughters Stella and Mary have joined a campaign run by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to get schools in the UK to offer more meat-free options to students at lunchtime.
As it stands, it is mandatory for schools to serve fish, meat and dairy in school meals, but the McCartney family – who founded Meat Free Mondays to encourage children to try vegan dishes once a week – want to see School Food Standards revised to "allow schools to be more flexible".
In a statement, Paul said: "No one needs to eat meat, so it shouldn’t be mandatory to serve it in schools. It’s time to revise the School Food Standards to help the planet, spare animals, and promote healthy eating."
PETA’s campaign states that in a 2019 poll, 70 percent of schoolchildren said they would like to see more vegan options in their cafeterias.
The company said in their own statement: "As the world faces dual health and climate crises, going vegan is one of the best things young people can do for animals, the planet, and their own health."
Paul’s involvement in the campaign comes after he recently said he wanted the gift of "peace on Earth" for his 78th birthday, which he celebrated earlier this month.
The Beatles legend joined forces with PETA to encourage fans to watch the music video for ‘Glass Walls’ – which he filmed 10 years ago for the organisation – in honour of his birthday, and asked them to share it with their loved ones.
He said: "All I’ve ever wanted for my birthday is peace on Earth – including for the animals. That’s why this year I’m urging fans to watch a video I hosted for PETA titled ‘Glass Walls’. We called it that because if slaughterhouses had glass walls, who would want to eat meat?
"Whether you’re worried about diseases that spring from slaughterhouses, the animals who suffer terribly and needlessly, or the catastrophic impact of the meat industry on our environment, please watch this short video and share it with your friends."