9-year-old Scottish food blogger, Martha Payne, has had a very dramatic couple of days. First, she was banned by council members from her school for sharing photos of her school lunches. When that decision spurred international controversy on Friday, Payne became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter. Today, it was announced that she is teaming up with celebrity chef Nick Nairn to help provide more nutritious meals at her school.
Read more ¿Qué más?: How you can stop your kid from developing diabetes
Payne, who attends Lochgilphead Primary in Argyll, started her blog "NeverSeconds" in April to document the quality of food at her school through pictures and raise money for charity. On Thursday, she posted that the local Argyll and Bute Council was forbidding her from publishing any more photos on her blog because they said it was endangering the job of local lunch ladies.
After an outcry on Payne's behalf took over social media, the council rapidly changed their tune and reversed their ban. "There's no place for censorship in the Argyll and Bute council and never has been and there never will be,'' council leader Roddy McCuish told BBC Radio on Friday.
Now she and Nairn are teaming with the council to help make her school a healthier place. And that's not all! Payne has reportedly gotten offers to appear on daytime TV in Japan and here in the states to craft a book or even inspire a script for a movie__.__ Wow! Can you imagine getting all that attention at 9 years old?!
Want to connect with other Health fans? Like us on Facebook!
But the controversy has had another, even more positive effect in that it greatly increased the amount of donations being made through Payne's blog to Mary's Meals, a charity that helps feed children in Africa. She had raised about $15,530 before her story made international headlines, but by Monday morning the total donations had exploded past $127,000. How amazing is that?!
I'm completely in awe of how this adorable young girl has taken such initiative in so many mature ways–blogging, taking interest in the health of herself and fellow classmates, and even being a mini-philanthropist by raising thousands of dollars for charity! And now to be teaming up with a celebrity chef to determine what her grade and future generations will be eating at her school? Talk about impressive!
What do you think of Payne's accomplishments? Tell us in the comments below!
Image via NeverSeconds
