Parents offered vouchers worth £15 per child during holidays

FINANCIAL support will be available for low-income families in Staffordshire during the Easter school holidays.

Staffordshire County Council is providing evouchers worth £15 per child per week and online access to a range of activities.

If parents and carers have not received notification, those receiving free school meals should contact their school immediately, or contact their local Family Hub.

Mark Sutton, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Yet again we’re doing all we can to support low-income families in Staffordshire during the school holidays.

“Not only will the vouchers help parents put good food on the table, but I hope the online activities, which include art, cooking and other projects will help keep children busy during the day.

“This is a great opportunity and I hope people make the most of it – if they haven’t heard anything and they think they are eligible they should follow the instructions and contact someone today.”

Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet has approved spending the £2.2 million received from the Department of Education to deliver a Holiday Activities and Food programme through the summer and Christmas holidays, as well as this Easter.

The authority has already spent £1.8 million on food and other support for lowincome families during school holidays this winter.

Mr Sutton added: “Through necessity, this Easter we are issuing vouchers and providing activities online, but for the summer and Christmas holidays as society returns to normal we are planning face-to-face play, sport and youth sessions with food provided.

“For four weeks of the summer holidays eligible children will be offered four hours of activities for four days a week, while at Christmas it will be four hours a day for one week.”

The county council is working with charities, community groups and other organisations to plan the activities later in the year.