Disadvantaged children in Wirral are set to benefit from free healthy meals and enriching activities throughout the summer following the award £1.8 million from the Government.
Nationally, the new Holiday Activities and Food programme will support up to 50,000 disadvantaged children across 17 local authority areas and help them to stay healthy and active over the summer.
Families across the Wirral will be able to enjoy free nutritious food and activities at a wide range of exciting holiday clubs over the summer holidays, at a time when such provision for young people and their families is needed more than ever.
Councillor Wendy Clements, Chair of Wirral’s Children and Families Committee, said: “This is fantastic news for children and their families in Wirral. Edsential have worked wonders to put together such a great programme of support in such a short period.
"With this extra Government support coming to Wirral, I hope that the children who are most vulnerable will receive the help and support that’s now available.”
Funded by the Department for Education, it is hoped that the £1.8m grant received by Edsential Community Interest Company will help to support at least 5,700 children across Wirral with:
• Healthy meals and snacks along with family cooking sessions
• A variety of online and directly delivered physical activities such as dance, Yoga, HIIT and adventure play, making the most of our outdoor spaces
• Diverse enrichment activities including arts and crafts, pottery making, forest school, gardening clubs and much more
Ian McGrady, Managing Director at Edsential said: “We are delighted the bid won the funding that enables us to support families within our local community. We look forward to working with all the providers in the area to make sure that all families can enjoy activities and meals together this summer”.
Minister for Children and Families Vicky Ford MP added: “It is more important than ever before to make sure the needs of the most disadvantaged are at the heart of everything we do.
We cannot afford for any of our children to lose out of their education as a result of Covid-19. Just last week we announced the Covid Summer Food Fund, and a £1 billion Covid catch up fund so that no child is left behind.
“On top of this, we are rolling out the £9 million Holiday Activities and Food programme in England, ensuring that thousands of children will be able to benefit from free nutritious food and enriching activities during the summer period.”
A full list of the clubs taking place over the summer holidays will be available on the Edsential website from 20th July 2020:
