More children will have access to healthy and nutritious food during the school holidays.
Children’s charity Cash for Kids is being granted £150,000 to help local community organisations support children during the school holidays with activities and access to meals.
Cash for Kids West, which covers North Ayrshire, received an £13,500 share which is being used for Holiday Hunger projects across Ayrshire, including in the Three Towns.
The funding is the first allocation of £1 million over the next two years to tackle food insecurity outside of term time.
This is part of the £1.5 million Fair Food Fund, which supports projects that help people move away from emergency food provision and access healthy, nutritious food through community based activities and support.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell announced the funding while visiting Pilton Youth and Children’s Project, which will provide activities for 250 children this summer.
She said:
“In a country as prosperous as Scotland, no child should be going hungry. We already offer free school meals to all pupils in P1 to 3 and families on low incomes, but we know that costs can often rise during the school holidays and it can be a struggle for families to provide affordable healthy and nutritious food as well as fun activities for children every day.
“Earlier this year we announced an additional £1 million from the Fair Food Fund will be available over the next two years to tackle food insecurity during the school holidays. I’m pleased that one of my first acts as Cabinet Secretary is to announce that Cash for Kids will be the first recipients of this fund to support their holiday activity. What they do makes a real difference to the lives of children – and their families – across the country.”
Debbie Fraser, Regional Charity Manager, Cash for Kids added:
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Government to ensure children and young people across Scotland are supported throughout the summer holidays. The funding will make a huge difference to holiday clubs and grass root groups and will ensure children have a great experience this summer”.
Other initiatives from the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan include a new national entitlement for the School Clothing Grant, which the SNP Government recently raised from £40 to £50; and new support for after-school and holiday childcare, helping parents work more flexibly and increase their incomes.
Further allocations will be announced in due course.
ENDS
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