Town firms rally round to give kids free half-term food
BUSINESSES across Southport rallied around to offer food to hungry children after the Government voted against extending free meals through half term.
Restaurants, churches, chip shops and children’s play areas were among those to come forward to ensure that children who normally receive free school meals would be fed during the week off.
The campaign to provide the free meals has been led by Marcus Rashford, the England and Manchester United footballer who has spoke passionately about how he and his family relied on the kindness and support of others as he grew up.
Normally free school meal vouchers are not provided out of term time but Mr Rashford had successfully pressured the Government into continuing to provide vouchers throughout the summer holidays to counteract the huge losses families have endured as a result of the Covid19 outbreak.
After MPs voted against the proposal to continue that offer further, kind-hearted business owners and community leaders came forward to take on responsibility for ensuring that children did not go hungry.
Among the first to make such an offer was Churchtown restaurant La Tabella, which is giving away free pasta lunches throughout the week.
Owners Rob and Liza Smallman said: “We decided to offer the free meals for children as we are obviously aware of all the work Marcus Rashford and many others are doing and we wanted to do something to help our local community.
“We are offering free pasta dishes which are freshly cooked and full of healthy ingredients which can be warmed up at home to any children who need them during the October half term holiday.
“We would like anyone to either message or call us so we can sort their meals for them.
“Also we are encouraging people to nominate anyone they feel would appreciate the meals but may be too shy to come forward themselves.
“Although things are really hard for the hospitality industry at the moment and we are struggling like never before, we felt we still needed to put it into perspective and we couldn’t sit back and let children in our local area go hungry.
“Rob, Liza, Dan and the whole team at Tabella are behind this 100% and we all hope we can make a little difference to the lives of our neighbours.”
Despite being forced to close down under new Tier 3 restrictions, soft play centre Jollies Barn, based at Leisure Lakes in Mere Brow, is giving away packed lunches all week while another, Playtown, based at Ocean Plaza, also offered to provide lunch boxes on the Monday and Tuesday.
Owners Louie and Tanya Gaffney said: “Here at Playtown we are heartbroken by the way the Government has treated our children.
“They have been pushed aside with not a second thought and now to announce they will not be giving free school meals through half term is a disgrace. As most of our customers and our community know Playtown WILL NOT see people going hungry.”
Elsewhere, volunteer group Southport Baby Bank teamed up with Remedy to give free meals from the town centre bar on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The award-winning Fylde Fish Bar has also offered to give free lunches to children on Wednesday, while St John Stone & Sacred Heart RC Churches invited struggling families to its weekly Place2Be Community market. The market, based at Sandbrook Road, offers basic groceries from 20p-50p along with free vegetables and bread.
Among the others to offer assistance, junior football club Southport Athletic said that any parents in need could contact secretaries Ben Minto and Paul Mullan for support.