800 free meals for children to be served up under summer packed lunch scheme launched by Washington Community Food Project

Clive and Maureen Bowman with Helen Boxall from the Galleries, centre.

Washington Community Food Project aims to provide 800 meals with its Summer Holiday Packed Lunch Scheme

It will offer meals during the six-week summer holidays for nursery and primary school children, supporting struggling families during the break.

The food bank will be working with local churches and schools in the area to make it possible.

It comes after the Government made a u-turn on continuing to provide free meals over the summer holidays to children who normally qualify for them.

The decision by Downing Street followed pressure from Manchester United and England football striker Marcus Rashford.

Around 1.3 million children nationwide now are expected to benefit from £120million of funding across the six-week break.

But organisers of Washington Community Food Project’s scheme said families of primary school and nursery children will not have to meet any requirements for referral to the food bank, as the scheme will be open to all.

The project, which is costing around £1,000, aims to support the most vulnerable families in Sunderland and ensure no child goes hungry while away from school.

Secretary of WCFP, Maureen Bowman said: “It’s absolutely fantastic the amount of support and help we get from the public. Local churches and schools have been really helpful in making this scheme possible.

“Hopefully we can help as many people as possible who need help.”

Those in need will be able to get a free packed lunch meal for their children from St George’s Church, Oxclose Church and Washington Mind.

Parents will also be able to collect extra snacks for the children from WCFP’s unit at the Galleries Shopping Centre, where they recently celebrated reopening after being forced to close during the coronavirus lockdown.

The coronavirus outbreak saw demand for food bank services soar as thousands of people saw their incomes hit or wiped out overnight.The scheme is launching on July 21 and more information can be found at www.wcfp.org.uk.