How Marcus has helped 70,000 children in North East
ALMOST 70,000 children in the North East are set to benefit from a Premier League footballer’s campaign to continue free school meal vouchers over the summer. Marcus Rashford’s campaign prompted a government U-turn that will see parents claim vouchers for about 1.3 million children in England during the summer holidays. Figures obtained by the Chronicle showed that 68,539 youngsters across seven councils currently receive free school meals. Newcastle Council confirmed that 14,427 young people in the city receive free school meals. Gateshead Council said that 6,670 youngsters in the borough get free school meal – while Sunderland Council say 10,904 children relied on free school meals in the authority area. In County Durham 17,220 youngsters get free schools meals while in Northumberland it is 8,048.
In North Tyneside 5,631 children are in receipt of free school meals; in neighbouring South Tyneside the number is 5,639.
Rev Alan Dickinson, chairman of the Bay Foodbank in North Shields, welcomed the move.
“It’s really good news, for some children I’m fairly sure school is their main meal of the day,” he said.
“It’s hugely beneficial, we see an increase in families during the summer break. In our seven years during the summer we have to provide for those kids that would normally get free school meals.
“There’s more of a demand on our services during the holidays. We have quite a lot of children on our books.
“Child poverty is huge in the North East, we supply a couple of local schools stuff for breakfast clubs, we even supply baby milk.”
Coun Moira Smith, lead member for children, young people and families at South Tyneside Council, said the U-turn would be a “lifeline” for struggling families.
“Credit has to go to footballer Marcus Rashford whose campaign to extend the scheme has clearly been a critical factor in the government finally agreeing to do the right thing,” she added.
“Those of us living in areas such as South Tyneside know only too well the dire impacts of food poverty. It is for this reason that we ran a series of summer clubs last year where children could access free activities and a meal and we had plans in place again this year to tackle holiday hunger.
“In South Tyneside we are committed to giving every child the best start in life and recognise that any child living in poverty is one too many. We also appreciate that the current pandemic is making life more challenging for everyone – but that those already disadvantaged have been, and continue to be, hit hardest.
“We have been at the forefront of providing help and support for those most in need throughout the crisis, establishing a Covid-19 hardship fund and increasing the support we give to food banks to make sure food reaches those in hardship. “It is a sad fact that this pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities while drawing yet more families into poverty.
“While it is good news that our most disadvantaged children will not go hungry in the summer holidays, there is more the government could, and should, do to end the cycle of poverty.” Mr Rashford told BBC Breakfast there are “more steps that need to be taken”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the England star’s “contribution to the debate around poverty” and the Manchester United forward said he was “grateful that the prime minister did change his decision” and that, in a phone call, Mr Johnson had thanked him “for using what I’ve built in a positive manner”.
Mr Rashford said the extension of the scheme - launched when schools were closed as part of the lockdown - has “bought an extra six weeks” to “figure out what’s next”.
It’s really good news, for some children I’m fairly sure school is their main meal of the day
Rev Alan Dickinson