Government to respond to Stamford mum’s campaign to change allergy laws for schools following death of son Benedict Blythe, a former Barnack Primary School pupil
The government must respond to a campaign led by the mother of a five-year-old boy who died after an allergic reaction at school.
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.
His mum, Helen, has launched a campaign through Benedict Blythe Foundation, founded in her son’s memory, calling for better training and changes to the law to keep children safe.
A key part of the campaign is a petition which has now reached 10,500 signatures, meaning the government must respond.
Helen said: “We are delighted at how quickly we’ve reached the 10,000 signatures needed for a government response to our campaign.
“It goes to show how strong the public feeling is that more should be done to protect pupils in school with allergies.
“We were hopeful we’d reach the threshold of 10,000 signatures, but not in only two weeks.”
If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in parliament.
Helen said: “It’s such a boost to have this success early on, but the hard work starts here for us.
“We’ll be trying to garner political support, gather case studies and continue to show the public’s desire for change.”
Helen urges people to sign and share the petition until it closes in September and contact their MP.
MP for Stamford Gareth Davies has already shown his support to the campaign.
Currently schools do have overarching allergy policies Helen believes they are not specific enough and can be interpreted differently.
Helen and her husband Pete still feel the fear of allergies, which is in the forefront of their minds as their four-year-old daughter Etta is due to start primary school in the autumn.
“Benedict loved school, and living with allergies was a huge part of his and our life,” said Helen.
“He demonstrated kindness in his friendships, and it’s important his legacy is also about being kind and supporting others.
“What we’ve been through, and the loss of our beloved Benedict, is devastating.
“Finding some good in sharing our knowledge of how quickly allergic reactions can happen so that schools can be prepared and children can be kept safe feels like an important part of honouring his memory.”