Meet the girl who wants to make hospital food taste better

Staying in hospital when you're unwell can be a challenging experience, however old you are.

But 12-year-old Audriana, who has spent a lot of time in hospital over her life, says the food in hospital is one of the things that affects her most.

"The food is often lacking nutrition and it's important that patients have something to look forward to when they're going through a really tough time," she told BBC News.

Now she is campaigning for healthier and tastier food in hospitals.

Audrina was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 3, this meant she was in and out of hospital for a number of years getting treatment.

Thanks to the treatment she received, she is now cancer-free and says the NHS medical staff who helped her were "excellent".

But she has since spent more time in hospital since then with another condition called cyclic vomiting syndrome.

Speaking to BBC East Midlands reporter Emma Snow, she says in her experience the food hasn't improved in all the years.

"I remember having a shepherd's pie and the mash was brown and burnt - and it was just served in the plastic pot it had been microwaved in," she told the BBC.

"If you don't have the vitamins, minerals and proteins your body needs, it's going to slow your recovery down."

In September, Audrina visited the Houses of Parliament in London to encourage members of parliament (MPs) to discuss the issues around hospital food.

She has also started making videos to show how you can make healthy meals for £1, hoping they will inspire hospitals.

Her mum Gemma said: "She's going to be showing examples of meals which are healthy and tasty as well, so that hospitals can see they don't necessarily need to spend more money to get decent food."

Audrina's MP Jonathan Davies, who is a member of the Labour government, likes her ideas.

"I said I'd get behind her campaign and make sure ministers heard what she had to say," he said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We want every hospital patient to receive food that is appetising and supports their recovery.

"Hospital food in England is already subject to national standards, covering nutrition, safety and quality."

"We welcome ideas from campaigners like Audrina on how hospital food - especially for young people - can be improved."