Council pledge free meals for Oldham children this half term

Date published: 23 October 2020


Oldham Council is supporting Marcus Rashford's campaign to provide free school meals during school holidays for those most in need.

The council will be giving a helping hand to those families during their events and activities planned over the half term (from Monday, October 25).

Twenty families in South Chadderton will receive food each day to include a breakfast pack, lunch pack and tea pack plus a cooking live session during the week via a virtual ‘super hero’ academy.

Sixty families in Oldham will take part in a fun week of activities where one of the sessions each day will be a cooking class where the food ingredients have been provided by the Council.

Vulnerable youngsters attending a multi-sport camp at Hathershaw College will each receive a free packed lunch each day.

And families needing food support in these difficult Coronavirus times and already on the radar of Oldham Council’s five District teams will be supported, notably in Failsworth and Royton.

The Council had already prepared its social workers to hand out emergency food vouchers for use at local foodbanks, and are also trialling a new scheme with the Co-op to hand out food vouchers to children in need.

And if people are in need of help and support the council runs an emergency helpline - details can be found at: https://www.oldham.gov.uk/cvhelpline

Councillor Arooj Shah, Oldham Council’s Deputy Leader with responsibility for tackling poverty in Oldham, said: “The impact of coronavirus has not just been on people’s health but also their job position and finances, and we are concerned there will be even more children going hungry this half term in Oldham.

“That is completely unacceptable and we have decided to step in to fill the financial gap left pitifully by central Government and to make sure those most in need get basic meals.

“A light has been shone on this vitally important subject by the Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, and we in Oldham will step up and play our part in these difficult financial times for us all.

“We know a number of organisations and businesses are also looking to help and we thank them for schemes they are involved in and we would call on others to think of doing something similar.

“We will also keep the pressure on Central Government to ensure that the free school meals in holiday time campaign is not forgotten and we must ensure our most vulnerable are supported to get a basic meal.”


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