We are happy to announce that we will be working alongside both UKFast and Department for Education to help tackle ‘holiday hunger’, where families with children who receive free school meals during term time aren’t always able to provide those extra meals during the summer holidays.
We will be hosting a Holiday Club for 50 young people from North Manchester who will receive at least 2 free meals every day as part of this initiative.
Hosting firm UKFast today announces its commitment to provide 18,000 meals to school children living in poverty in Greater Manchester over the summer holiday period.
Recent statistics show that 32% of children in Greater Manchester are living in poverty, many of whom go without proper nutrition outside of the school calendar.
Russell Feingold, UKFast’s Director of CSR, said: “More than 76,000 children across Greater Manchester receive free school meals during term time. That’s a huge number of extra meals for parents to find during the summer holidays, along with the spiralling overheads of childcare. For many families, their income doesn’t stretch that far.
“Summer clubs are essential in bridging both the childcare gap and holiday hunger, which is why UKFast is supporting three projects across the region, delivering 18,000 meals throughout the summer.”
Gail Jones, UKFast MD, said: “The summer holidays should be a time of fun and making memories for families, instead the increased childcare costs add a huge weight to parents’ shoulders and is leaving many unable to make ends meet. Hearing that the loss of free school meals over the holidays can lead to a child losing half a stone in weight is simply unbearable.
Also helping to fund our holiday club is the Department for Education who are running a series of projects across the country, backed by £2million of government funding, providing free activities such as football classes, play sessions and cooking classes. These projects also provide free meals for the most disadvantaged families who may rely on the Free School Meals they receive during term time.
Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “For most pupils, the end of the school summer term signals the start of holidays, days out and a chance to make memories with friends and family. Other families, who might rely on the support provided by schools, are not so lucky.
“These projects will provide a range of support for families during the summer break. It will also give children access to experiences that won’t just create great memories but will help broaden their horizons and build the confidence they need to succeed in whatever path they choose to follow.”