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Open letter on allergies in schools delivered to Secretary of State for Education MP Gillian Keegan by Stamford parents following death of son Benedict Blythe




The parents of a five-year-old boy who died after an allergic reaction at school are delivering a letter to 10 Downing Street calling for urgent action.

Benedict Blythe, a pupil at Barnack Primary School who lived in Stamford, died suddenly on December 1, 2021 after collapsing at school.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be an anaphylactic allergic reaction.

Pete, Helen and Etta Blythe at 10 Downing Street
Pete, Helen and Etta Blythe at 10 Downing Street

His parents Helen and Pete created the Benedict Blythe Foundation, founded in her son’s memory, and have been continuously campaigning for changes to the law to keep children safe.

Helen and Pete, along with Benedict’s five-year-old sister Etta, will today (Tuesday, April 23) deliver an open letter to the Secretary of State for Education MP Gillian Keegan at 10 Downing Street calling for urgent action to prevent children being put at risk.

The delivery of the open letter coincides with Allergy Awareness Week, which runs this week until Sunday (April 28).

Benedict Blythe and his sister Etta
Benedict Blythe and his sister Etta

Helen said: “Over the last year we have heard heartbreaking stories from families and teachers put in impossible positions because of a lack of guidance and funding for allergies in English schools, and across the UK.

“This Allergy Awareness Week, we would like the Secretary of State for Education to hear the united voice of the allergy and education sectors in their ask to her – that children with allergies should not be put at risk by this Government, and that measures to protect these children should be put in place now.”

Through the Benedict Blythe Foundation, freedom of information requests on the subject of allergies were made to more than 20,000 schools in England. Responses from about 2,000 schools were received and analysed.

It was found one in three schools do not have recommended allergy safeguards in place.

Helen said: “My daughter Etta has multiple allergies.

Helen Blythe. Photo: Lucy Glen
Helen Blythe. Photo: Lucy Glen

“She started school in September and it became ever more apparent that there is a postcode lottery when it comes to how schools support pupils with allergies.

“This shouldn’t be the case, and more guidance and funding need to be put in place to ensure that every family with a child with allergies has an equal chance at attending a safe school.”

The open letter is backed by more than 40 organisations including allergy charities Allergy UK and Anaphylaxis UK.

In the letter, a call is made for the Government to implement a number of mandatory rules which include reporting allergic reactions and near-misses, creating allergy policies and individual healthcare plans for every child with an allergy, hold in-date spare auto injector pens, and train all staff in allergy awareness and emergency response including administration of medication.

“Benedict was a kind boy who looked out for others,” said Helen. “This Allergy Awareness Week, it feels like the right thing for us as a family to be taking forward his legacy by making this ask for other children and families – and we’re grateful for the support of so many organisations who share our desire for change.”

The Blythe family remains without answers two-and-a-half years after Benedict’s death as the inquest hearing is not scheduled.

Benedict is described as being ‘curious, with bubbling enthusiasm and kindness, which was his real superpower’.




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