*** This is a campaign for children in Barnsley, Coventry, Derbyshire, Leicester and South Tyneside. All money raised in each area will go DIRECTLY to the clubs in that area. Every penny. Let us know which area you want your money to go by leaving a comment after donating***
With the loss of free school meals given out during term time, in addition to the extra childcare costs around the holidays, families already struggling with low budgets can find it difficult to feed their children.
We are Feeding Britain, a charity working for the relief of people in need, specifically by combating hunger and its underlying causes in the UK. We are asking for your help to raise £50,000 so that children in Barnsley, Coventry, Derbyshire, Leicester and South Tyneside have a summer of laughter, food, fun and learning in holiday clubs at the heart of their communities. Alongside their families we want them to play, develop and eat together, bringing their communities together and teaching skills for life!
SUMMER IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING AND WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE #HEALTHYHOLIDAYS2019 A REALITY
Our campaign in the News!
Shields Gazette - South Tyneside
THE ISSUE
Holidays can be a stressful time for families who have lost the safety net of free school meals and are faced with additional childcare, food and fuel costs.
Hunger amongst children during the school holidays may exacerbate inequalities that already exist between children from wealthier and poorer backgrounds. Those children most at risk of hunger during the holidays may also suffer from social isolation, loneliness, and inactivity. These factors combined can lead to significant weight loss or gain, and negative impacts on physical and mental well-being.
>>>ENDING HUNGER IN THE HOLIDAYS<<<
SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT PLANNED IN BARNSLEY - COVENTRY - DERBYSHIRE - LEICESTER - SOUTH TYNESIDE THIS SUMMER?
This summer our networks in Barnsley, Coventry, Derbyshire, Leicester and South Tyneside want to pull out all the stops to provide 18,000 children with a summer of laughter, fun and learning. Across 60+ clubs, children will be exposed to a range of activities from mock archaeological digs and zoo ranger visits to community growing! Crucially, the children will also be provided with nutritious meals and encouraged to get involved with cooking, growing and other food related activities.
Barnsley
Feeding Barnsley is looking to build on its highly successful Healthy Holidays programme in 2018. Working with established community groups and partners, we want to ensure frontline organisations can make summer holiday meals and activities available to hundreds of children throughout 10 venues across the borough of Barnsley.
Coventry
Through a range of partners from the public, community and voluntary sectors, Feeding Coventry will co-ordinate an innovative Summer, Food and Fun provision and would like to replicate and build on a successful 2018 programme in the summer of 2019. We are aiming to reach 1,200 children, providing 3,580 meals across 8 clubs. Below is a video from Moat House - one of the clubs any money donated to Coventry will support:
Derbyshire
Feeding Derbyshire has ambitious plans over the summer with a range of indoor and outdoor activities including arts and crafts, family reading & story-telling, climbing walls, magician, games and sports, den building, mask and puppet making. There will also be cook and eat workshops, mad science, dance, making hanging baskets and flower troughs, growing, allotment visits and more!
Feeding Derbyshire are hoping to reach 8325 children in 26 clubs to provide 11490 meals and 400 activities throughout the summer!
“I was feeling isolated at home during the school holidays and the children were bored. I heard about the Holiday Club, that there were activities and food so I thought that I’d go along.
“It was so nice that I didn’t have to worry about packed lunches as school holidays can be stressful and expensive. . . . Not only did my children enjoy the activities on offer, but I did as well. They lowered my anxiety levels so I can relax as the children are busy and happy too”.
“At first I felt nervous but the group is friendly and I have made friends. The food offered is lovely, the snacks are healthy and are always displayed nicely and the picnic bags for the children are great! We even made bread. I will definitely keep coming”.
Leicester
Feeding Leicester will support nine adventure playgrounds across Leicester to provide nutritional meals, as well as lots of fun as partners in the city come together to provide activities for those attending the clubs. Last year, our partnership working ensured we delivered 30 000 meals, and we’re looking to do the same or better this year.
Our holiday food provision uses surplus food supplied by Fareshare and there is varied food offered at clubs in the city. Some provide packed lunched with sandwiches and others serve hot cooked lunches, all supported by our outstanding volunteers. Fruit was a big hit last year during the hot summer, so we’re making sure there is enough provided this year in the hope of similar weather!
South Tyneside
Our Holiday Food, Fun and Friendship Clubs in South Shields and South Tyneside welcome children and families to take part in a wide range of activities from arts and crafts, games and cooking skills to community gardening and environmental activities. Most of the children who attend the clubs would simply not be able to access this type of provision if it were not supported by Feeding Britain, external funders and our community partners as well as the brilliant volunteers who run the clubs.
The projects are making very happy memories for the children who attend and the provision ensures that local families can enjoy time with their children during the school holidays without worrying about the cost of providing an additional nutritious meal. Community spirit plays a massive part of life in South Tyneside and only with your help we will be able continue to be able to provide these activities for our local children.
These clubs have been designed by local organisations at the very centre of their community. They are fun fuelled, educational, motivational and help forge a summer to remember.
Summer holidays are associated with activity, extra curricular learning and development - let's keep it that way for all children regardless of their circumstances. To make this a reality however we need your help!
Each of these advantages improves children’s quality of life, as well as their chances of growing up to become healthy, well-educated adults, while simultaneously increasing parents’ confidence and adding to their skills base.
CAN YOU HELP?
We require at least £50,000 to ensure this vital provision can go ahead and that children across our networks gain access to the nutritious meals and activities they deserve. Communities, families and volunteers make these clubs so valuable, but they require financial support to operate:
- £10 will fund a child's placement for one day
- £25 covers the food and activity costs for one child per week
- £77 covers food and activity costs for that same child for a month
- £115 funds an entire club for a day
If you do wish to donate to a specific region you need to make this clear by adding a comment with your donation. If you don't select a preference then we will allocate based on your Gift Aid postcode!
Summer holidays should be about FUN, EXPLORATION AND FRIENDSHIP rather than a series of cruel choices for families. Your donation will go directly to clubs who will make this a reality for children in your community. Please help in any way you can so that we can combat the scourge of holiday hunger and have #HealthyHolidays2019