Extra support for North East families struggling to feed children

The FEAST programme offers activities and meals during the holidays

Author: Kathy GreenPublished 6th Apr 2024

Extra support is being offered to families in the North East who are struggling to afford food for their children in the school holidays.

Pupils who qualify for free school meals can take part in a programme called FEAST which provides activities and meals.

Simon Carrson who runs some of the sessions says he hopes it can continue for years to come:

"When we first signed up for this scheme three years ago I think numbers were relatively low, obviously the situation in the UK at the moment means more children and more parents require this service."

"We've had to expand as an organisation to meet the demand of the courses and the funding for the programme actually does run out, for want of a better phrase later on this year so it'll be interesting to see where the Government go with it next because I believe it's a valuable service that parents and children require."

"The children turn up and we prepare the breakfast for them, we give them some lunch, we have afternoon snacks prepared for them, they do some food preparation where they take all the fruit kebabs that they make and the wraps that we provide them with."

You can find out more about the FEAST project here

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