£500,000 to tackle holiday hunger this summer

Families struggling to afford food this summer holiday are being supported by £500,000 of cash grants from our Community Matters Fund. The cash has been awarded to charities, local councils and community groups in the South West, Wales and the Midlands to help families who are struggling to put food on the table. 

It’s widely reported that children have been the most adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and that many families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, due to the rising cost of living. During the school holidays, there is always higher demand at food banks, often from families which rely on term-time free school meals – and research in 2019 highlighted that there were three million children at risk of ‘holiday hunger’.*  

Amongst the beneficiaries announced today is Oasis Community Hub Bath in the South West, which has been awarded £2,500 to deliver food to people in the community affected by holiday hunger.

In the East Midlands, The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation, a community charity set up during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been awarded £2,500 to support more than 50 primary and secondary schools throughout Northamptonshire with food parcels during the school holidays.

Hebrew Congregation Thursday Club in the West Midlands has been awarded £2,465 to provide a vital weekly drop in centre where families with children can access a freshly cooked, nutritious, three course meal. The club will also organise cooking classes to help families prepare balanced meals on a limited budget, as well as providing food parcels to families who can’t attend the centre.
In South Wales, The Gathering Place in Swansea has been awarded £2,500 to deliver food parcels to households in the region.

Our Resources & External Affairs Director, Alison Sleightholm, said: “Holiday hunger is a very real and pressing issue in communities up and down the country, and at WPD we have an obligation to support families facing this problem in the communities we serve. We’re pleased to be able to support community groups, charities and local authorities which are working hard to improve the quality of life for families during the holiday period and beyond, and we look forward to seeing their projects deliver vital benefits.”