Nine-year-old food blogger-turned-citizen-journalist Martha Payne from Argyll, Scotland, won the Internet's heart after using her cameraphone to expose the shoddy quality of her school meals.
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Payne began snapping photos of her less-than-appetizing cafeteria meals along with full-on reviews under the nickname "Veg" in April. Her blog, NeverSeconds, became a worldwide viral sensation, gaining approximately 2 million visitors who supported Payne with kind words, recipes and other support.
The blog's popularity put intense pressure on her school district to upgrade students' meals, which it eventually did. Payne continued reviewing her schooltime meals, giving some glowing reviews to the new recipes.
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While the school district made the change, it seemed Thursday evening that it would put an end to Payne's photoblogging days. In a blog post entitled "Goodbye," the young blogger said she'd been barred from using her cameraphone during school hours.
"This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office," wrote Payne. "I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today."
That newspaper was the Daily Record, a Scottish publication that ran a story about Payne with the headline "Time to fire the dinner ladies." According to the local council, that article caused her school's cafeteria staff to worry they were about to be fired. Those fears prompted the council to ban Payne's phone.
Payne's father added some additional context.
"Martha’s school have been brilliant and supportive from the beginning and I’d like to thank them all," he wrote. "It is a shame that a blog that today went through 2 million hits, which has inspired debates at home and abroad and raised nearly £2000 for charity is forced to end."
Social media support for Payne's blog exploded once again after the decision to outlaw her cameraphone. A tweet from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver lead the charge, and as of Friday morning, her "Goodbye" post received more than 1,000 comments.
Stay strong Martha, RT this to show your support #neversecondsbit.ly/LXzJcI Jx
— Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) June 15, 2012
Payne also got support from several non-profit groups, including Mary's Meals, which aims to deliver lunches to schoolchildren in need.
@jamieoliver Visit our site for more info on the initiative the wonderful Martha Payne is supporting: marysmeals.org.uk #NeverSeconds
— Mary's Meals (@MarysMeals) June 15, 2012
Finally, Payne won the right to photograph her lunches once again. Friday morning, the leader of the administrative district Payne calls home told BBC Radio 4 that Payne would indeed be allowed to keep snapping photos and blogging away.
"I have just instructed senior officials to withdraw the ban on photos from the school dining hall," said Council leader Roddy McCuish. "It is a good thing to do to change your mind and I have certainly done that."
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This story originally published on Mashable here.
