Nottingham families will be recieving more support over the summer holidays. The City Council is once again making weekly £15 vouchers available to pupils that receive school meals, but the council is also organising a number of outdoor holiday activities across the city.
At these activities, students entitled to free school meals will receive a free lunch, and be able to take part in a programme of activities focused on healthy eating, fitness and mental health. These two projects have been funded through a combined award of £3.68 million from the Household Support Grant Scheme and the Holiday Activity Fund.
The activity fund of £1.8m was awarded through a bidding process which was made available to community groups, charities and schools with the ability to deliver outdoor holiday activities in neighbourhoods across the city. More than 3,000 children took part in the activities over the Easter holidays, with sessions being led by the Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Trent Bridge Community Trust.
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Councillor Cheryl Barnard, Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Education, said: “We know that these supermarket vouchers and free activity clubs can be a lifeline for families across the city, especially in the longer holiday period over the summer. I’d urge parents to take a look now at what’s on offer in their area to make a booking.
“We remain in a national cost-of-living crisis and support like this makes a huge difference for hard-working people across our city facing an extremely challenging time. We want to help in every way we can.
“Nottingham has around 15,000 children eligible for free school meals and is right and proper that we are given this funding to ensure healthy meals for children in need.” Parents with children eligible for free school meals can book places on the activities using their e-voucher codes which will be distributed by their child’s school.
Anyone in receipt of benefit-related free school meals who hasn’t received a e-voucher should contact: FreeFunandFood@nottinghamcity.gov.uk There are also a limited number of places available for targeted children who aren’t eligible for free school meals and these will be allocated by the schools.
Calum Osborne, Chief Executive Officer at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said: “We are thrilled to continue our positive partnership with Nottingham City Council and local organisations to deliver the city’s HAF programme during the upcoming summer holidays.
“The exceptional partnerships we have forged across Nottingham and the inspiring relationships we have built with families over the past two years have been truly remarkable.
“We are looking forward to welcoming children to our engaging and educational sessions, providing them with invaluable opportunities to develop new skills, strengthen their confidence, and embark on an exciting journey of exploration into the world of healthy nutrition within a dynamic atmosphere.”
Mark Clifford, Community Projects Manager at Trent Bridge Community Trust, added: “We we’re really pleased with how the Easter programmes were attended and look forward to the summer being even better. There are some amazing activities on offer for young people of Nottingham to take part in, and of course the healthy meal ensuring that support is provided to our families who need it the most.”
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