Helen Blythe, mother of five-year-old Benedict, who died after suffering a fatal allergic reaction at school in 2021, has issued an urgent warning to teachers as new allergy safety rules officially come into force in England.

What happened to Benedict

Benedict had been diagnosed with allergies, including a severe allergy to cow's milk, from just four months old. His parents informed his school, Barnack Primary School in Stamford, of his condition and provided information for staff to develop a safety plan. On 1 December 2021, Benedict was accidentally exposed to cow's milk protein during break time. An inquest concluded he likely ingested it from his own receptacle, and identified delays in administering adrenaline, along with failures in how his allergy plan was shared and followed among staff, as factors that probably contributed to his death.

Her warning to schools

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Helen explained that the family had done everything they could to prepare the school, saying: "We asked all the right questions. We asked whether there was a policy, training. We also provided information for the school to turn into their own plan." She said the agreed processes weren't followed on the day of Benedict's death, explaining: "The people providing his care hadn't seen the plan that we'd given, and ultimately, they gave him the medication too late to save his life. He had an EpiPen on him, but it was used too late."

With Benedict's Law now requiring schools to strengthen allergy policies, staff training, and emergency preparedness, Helen urged schools not to treat the new measures as a box-ticking exercise, warning: "While we're really pleased that statutory guidance has come in, how they deliver on that is up to each school. Some will go above and beyond, and others may see this as a tick-box exercise. We really urge them to take this seriously."

Why she's continuing the campaign

Helen said the family's advocacy has already prompted a positive response from teachers, with many reaching out to say they feel more confident following new training. She described Benedict as an exceptionally kind child, recalling how he reached out to comfort a nervous classmate on his very first day of school, saying it reflected exactly who he was and why supporting other children in his memory means so much to the family.