Plan for free school meals over holidays

CARDIFF council is making plans to ensure families with children eligible for free school meals can continue to receive provision during school holidays.

Following the Welsh Government announcement that £11m is guaranteed towards free school meal provision for school holidays up to and including Easter 2021, the council has been making arrangements so more than 13,000 children and young people don’t miss out.

Sarah Merry, cabinet member for education, employment and skills, said: “As the effects of the pandemic continue to impact everyone, it is essential those children and young people who benefit from free school meals, can continue to access this vital provision.”

She added: “Since schools first closed for statutory education back in March, a dedicated team have worked hard to ensure the delivery of free school meals.

“This includes developing new a BACS payment system, a new supermarket voucher scheme and at the beginning of lockdown, the successful delivery of 45,000 packed lunches. It is therefore reassuring that funds have been set aside so that our team can continue to provide this much needed scheme during schools holidays.”

During the October half-term school holiday period, the free school meal scheme will be provided using the supermarket voucher scheme. Parents and carers of children currently receiving free school meals will be sent a downloadable voucher to the value of £20 for the benefit of their eligible child/children which can be spent in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.