New 'Allergies in Schools' safeguards passed by Peterborough council following mum's campaign after son's (5) death

A new Schools Allergy Code has been passed by Peterborough City Council following the campaign of a mother who sadly lost her son to anaphylaxis.

Benedict Blythe passed away in December 2021 at just five-years-old after suffering an anaphylactic reactions while at school. Attempts to the save the Barnack School pupil were unsuccessful.

Since his death, Benedict’s mother Helen has started the Benedict Blythe Foundation to prevent other families going through the same experience as hers by introducing new measures to improve safety around allergies at schools.

Thanks to the work of the foundation, a Schools Allergy Code has been produced. It as a code of practice to help keep pupils with allergy safe.

It covers awareness, emergency response protocol, training and policies.

The code and its associated checklist are free resources and all schools are urged to adhere to the criteria laid out in the code.

Schools adhering to the new code, can apply to join a register held by The Allergy Team.

The schools will be assessed to see if they meet the Code and if successful will be able to join the register. Schools on the register can display a trust mark on their website and promotional literature.

Families will also be able to search for schools on the Register and have confidence that these schools meet the standards of allergy management set out in the code.

In November, a backbench debate took place in the House of Commons, brought by Jim Shannon MP and supported by 15 cross party MPs including Peterborough’s Paul Bristow. At the debate David Johnston, under-secretary of state for education supported the Schools Allergy Code.

At the most recent full council meeting on Wednesday (December 6), a motion, which was brought by East Ward Councillor Samantha Hemraj, which asked that the Schools Allergy Code be recommended to all of the schools in Peterborough, was unanimously passed.

Helen Blythe said: “We are delighted by the attention our campaign has received at both national and local level in such a short time.

"This is the first time the important topic of school allergy safety has had this much space for discussion, and it’s something that parents of children with allergies and teachers have to manage on a daily basis’

“This time of year for us as a family is difficult, the two year anniversary since Benedict died combined with the lead up to Christmas is especially tough.

"Celebrating progress like this makes all the hard work of the last year feel worthwhile, and while this campaign isn’t about our own personal experience, it’s a fitting legacy for Benedict that we are able to support other children with allergies to feel and be safe and included in schools.”