Thousands apply for holiday meals help

A s c h e m e to ex te n d f re e school meals over the halfterm holidays received more than 4,000 applications within hours of its launch.

Durham County Council stepped in to provide support to families who rely on free school meals after the Government voted against extending the national scheme over the school holiday period.

The council set up the local scheme in time for the half-term break, with the application form launched on the local authority’s website at 4pm on Monday.

Parents and carers whose c h i l d re n a re e l i g i b l e fo r m ea n s - te s te d f re e s c h o o l m ea l s we re i nv i te d to ap - ply for one £15 voucher per child and by 8.30am on Tuesday morning, there had been 4,232 applications.

By 3.30pm the same day, this number had risen to 5,734.

Cllr Angela Surtees, the council’s cabinet member for social inclusion, said: “The response to the scheme so far demonstrates just how greatly this support is needed.

"Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, we know that 35% of children in the No rth E a s t we re l iv i n g i n poverty and the outbreak has added even more pressure on a lot of families are finding it a struggle to make ends meet.

"We are determined to ensure no child in County Durham goes hungry this half-term.”

Eligible parents and carers can apply for the support at www.durham.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals before 4pm today.

Anyone who does not have a device can call the County Durham Together community hub on 03000 260 260.

Staff will be on hand from 9am to 5pm.