Council’s holiday hunger scheme will continue next month

Free meals for povertystricken families will be offered during the October holidays after the success of a Tayside “experiment” to tackle holiday hunger during the summer.

Families in Angus received more than £11,000 worth of food vouchers during the holidays to 600 families at support and activities sessions.

Angus Council’s first annual report on child poverty revealed nearly one in five children were in families that could not afford basic necessities.

The pilot aimed to support “our most vulnerable families access food in a non-stigmatised way during the holiday periods”.

Holiday hunger is a problem for children who rely on free school meals only provided during term time.

During the 2019 school summer holidays workers invited families to activities sessions and lunch or simply to collect a £10 ‘food only’ voucher.

Families could receive one voucher per child, per week.

Angus Council staff, local volunteers and charities hosted the sessions, which also offered free sanitary products and support from welfare experts. The scheme cost £84,000. Dr Pauline Stephen, director of schools and learning, said: “Reducing child poverty is one of the key priorities in the council plan. Child poverty can undermine the health, wellbeing and educational attainment of the children who experience it.”

“The programme was designed to support those families most at risk. The impact of support provided at the welfare rights drop-in sessions has been positive.”

Sixty-three families accessed support with 16 going on to receive more help.