Meals for kids in school holidays Coatbridge to pilot Food 365 scheme

Four hubs will be set up in Coatbridge to provide free meals during the forthcoming school holiday as the town pilot’s North Lanarkshire’s new Food 365 initiative.

The Advertiser told last week how the council were proposing to make meals available at holidays and weekends for youngsters who are entitled to free meals while at school – and the “holiday hunger” project was overwhelmingly approved at this week’s education committee.

Both Labour and SNP members gave wholehearted backing to the £415,000 scheme, which was passed by 29 votes to five. Conservative members instead voted that the Easter pilot period be delayed while “more substantial evidence” was gathered for councillors.

Education convener Frank McNally told the Advertiser: “There are some children leaving school on Friday and not having a meal until they return on Monday – that’s an absolute disgrace, totally unacceptable and the council will do all it can to tackle that.

“It has to be a priority for this council to tackle poverty, deprivation and the related attainment gap, and we can’t afford to wait as it’s important we implement this as quickly as possible.

“We’re trying to get as many people as possible involved in the Coatbridge pilot and then hope to roll it out across North Lanarkshire for the summer holidays. My hope is that young people and families will come along and engage.”

Council officials are currently identifying four community facilities across the town to be used as hubs for the Easter holiday pilot – including a busy programme of activities running alongside the daily food service.

Labour and SNP members all spoke in favour of the scheme at the education meeting, with depute provost Tom Castles, the Coatbridge South councillor, saying: “I’m really excited about this project and think £10,000 isn’t much to pay to get it off the ground.”

SNP education spokesman Tom Johnston said: “This is an idea whose time has come and we totally welcome it – we asked for this 15 years ago.

“Our party is built on the idea of a Scandi-style welfare Scotland, with initiatives like baby boxes, free tuition and free bus passes. Getting healthy meals will help close the attainment gap.”

Party colleague Paddy Hogg described it as “one of the most welcome reports I’ve read” and added: “This is fantastic and North Lanarkshire should be very proud of what it’s doing.”

The Conservative group called the project a “noble proposal and sentiment”, but asked for its implementation to be delayed pending more information and a financial update.

Group leader Meghan Gallacher said: “As a group, we don’t feel this report is substantial, there could have been more examples and more coherent figures, and there are far too many questions.

“We don’t know the full figures and feel more time is needed before we agree to half a million pounds.”

Their amendment was voted down by both other parties, with the committee convener saying: “We need to take steps and the longer we wait, the more children in North Lanarkshire are going to suffer.”

Food 365 has drawn national attention since being announced 10 days ago, and Councillor McNally added: “There’s certainly been a surprising level of interest – we thought it would create interest in Scotland but it’s been across the whole of the UK and has been quite something.

“It shows there’s a growing understanding of the challenges for families and it’s getting to that tipping point now where it’s the responsibility of government at every level to do something about this.”

We are trying to get as many people as possible involved

Priority Councillor Frank McNally is delighted at meals plan