FOOD & FUN
Play scheme to tackle summer holiday hunger for city kids... and you can help
MORE than 2000 families will rely on foodbanks this summer as they struggle to feed their children.
Glasgow foodbanks are gearing up for a summer rush ahead of the start of the school holidays.
One is also planning to start a children’s summer holiday club.
MORE than 2000 families will rely on foodbanks this summer as they struggle to feed their children over the school holidays.
Glasgow foodbanks are already gearing up for a summer rush ahead of the start of the school holidays next week.
The Trussell Trust, which runs five foodbanks across the city as well as dozens more across Scotland, has predicted their centres will see a rise on previous years in the number of families asking for help.
One foodbank, in the North West area of the city, is also planning to start a children’s summer holiday club for the first time ever this year to try and help parents “before crisis point”.
Between June and August 2015, Trussel Trust foodbanks in the city handed out 1995 emergency food supplies destined for children, out of a total of 5066.
The following year the numbers rose, with more than 2100 kids receiving food parcels in the same period, out of 5270.
Ewan Gurr, network manager for the Trussell Trust, has predicted the number of kids relying on them for help this year will rise again, with more than 2100 expected to visit Glasgow centres.
He said: “It’s hard to predict how many people we will help over the summer, but we can say safely that it will be increasing from last year.”
Kyle McCormick, who manages the city’s North West foodbank, said for the first time this year they are to offer a summer holiday club to help parents who are struggling to pay for food and activities to entertain their children during the summer months.
The club will run for six weeks, from July 4, and will provide not only food for both parents and children twice a week, but a chance for them to play together and meet other families.
If there is enough demand, there is a chance the scheme will be rolled out across Glasgow next year.
Kyle explained the club, which was paid for by a grant from the Glasgow Care Foundation, aims to “normalise” the foodbank experience for families, so they do not feel ashamed or embarrassed for receiving help.
Kyle said: “There are families who are going to find it a lot harder, especially those who are struggling just
now and that’s when the kids are still at school.
“Having that extra mouth to feed or extra meals top provide during the holidays will be a lot harder.
“Instead of trying to treat the problem we’re trying to stop it from happening.
“We do expect families to be under pressure more over the holidays, especially those who get free school meals.
“To try to combat that, rather than give them food parcels when they have hit crisis point, we started this holiday club.”
Kids at four primary schools in the North West area – Garscadden, Yoker, St Brendan’s and Bankhead – have received letters for their parents asking if they are interested in attending the scheme.
It will be able to cater for up to 60 children, however capacity may be i ncreased if there is enough demand.
Kyle explained: “We are not just giving out food.
“Part of our funding means we can buy active sports toys...frisbee, balls and things to get the kids moving and playing.
“We are also going to be buying soup packs and they can go home and make the soups from scratch.
“We know it’s hard to find cheap activities to do during the holidays, so we are hoping this is something we can do to help families bond.”
It comes after five schools in Glasgow announced they will be offering a pilot lunch club scheme over the summer, following a trial of the programme in Ibrox and Dalmarnock.
The schools, which are yet to be announced, will offer weekday kids clubs’ throughout summer, as part of the Food, Families, Futures Programme run by charity Children in Scotland.
‘We do expect families to be under pressure more over the holidays, especially those who get free school meals’