Support for families to tackle holiday hunger

Families in Tendring have been given a helping hand to make it through the school holidays with a £60 voucher to help cover the cost of their food shop.

Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) has handed the Holiday Hunger Grant vouchers to 33 families in time for the school summer break.

Lee Knight, Resilience Manager, said the vouchers are a way of supporting families most at need to make it through the school holidays.

He said: “During term time children from lower income families and receiving benefits can qualify for free school meals.

“But when the schools close for the summer holidays, families may struggle to meet the higher cost of their food shopping bill.

“To help support those families, CVST was able to secure funding to provide a £60 food shopping voucher.

“Families were referred to us via the schools and pre-schools, as well as partner organisations including Peabody, Extra Support for Families and Family Solutions.”

Russell Green from Family Solutions Service Tendring and Colchester, said: “Each and every one of the recipients said a huge thank you and that it would make a real difference to the start of the school holidays with many already using their vouchers as things are very tight for many families.”

Sharon Alexander, CVST Chief Officer, said: “We are pleased to have been able to provide these grants to families who would otherwise find it difficult to afford their food shopping through the summer holidays.

‘This project is part of the work that we do all year round at CVST to support the community to be more resilient, helping to keep people warm and well during the winter and cool and safe over the summer months, particularly those who find themselves in need.

“It follows food and fuel vouchers we were able to provide to families and individuals struggling to cope with costs last winter, which ran alongside our winter warmth giveaways.”

For more information about the resilience team projects visit www.cvstendring.org.uk/what-we-do/resilience-project.