Nora Sands, the dinner lady who worked alongside Jamie Oliver during his nationwide campaign to improve school dinners, has quit the healthy school meals campaign due to the failure of the Labour government to provide the funds it had promised.

A friend told The Daily Star: “Nora is passionate about this campaign. To see nothing change despite all the problems is heartbreaking.

“She became increasingly frustrated at trying to provide a healthy menu with none of the extra money or training for staff promised by the Government. In the end she had had enough and couldn’t continue.”

Oliver said it was “a great shame” she was leaving. He told the Daily Mirror: “Nora has made incredible changes at Kidbrooke and really struggled over the last four years without support.

“I know that after a short break she is hoping to find a way to help and support all the other fantastic dinner ladies who are working hard to make sure the kids are getting a decent hot meal every day.”

Ms Sands confirmed her resignation but said she did not want to discuss it. She added: “I could do with a rest.”