Holiday Help/hunger scheme 2020
This is the sixth year that Ladywood Community project has given extra help to families in the school summer holiday break
.
During term time many children in our area have free school meals and their parents struggle to cope with the extra food and household fuel costs when they are home. They also have extra costs providing school uniform and stationery in preparation for their return to school.
This year we are pleased that the Government have decided to help out by giving those children who would get free school meals, an allowance to cover the summer. However, this year has been incredibly difficult because children have been at home for 4 months and in most parents have lost income and had extra costs. This year we have partnered with Birmingham Central Foodbank and Central Baby bank to supply 80+ families with essentials to make their life easier.
Families had to be referred to the scheme.
Working with others
We had referrals from local schools, support workers, children’s trust staff, money advisors and credit union. We received a Children and Families grant from BVSC to finance some of the help with gas/electric and fresh food and also asked businesses and local churches to donate money towards the fuel or 80 of something that would be helpful/fun to give the children at this time.
The response was very good and we were able to deliver to each family:
A food parcel sufficient for 3 days for the family (supplied by BC Foodbank)
100 Nappies per child and dignity pack (sanitary towels, toothpaste, shower gel, deodorant, soap) where applicable (supplied by Central Baby bank).
£10 Tesco voucher to buy fresh food to supplement food parcel. (Ladywood Project).
£60 loaded onto gas/electric prepayment meters ( Ladywood project).
A pack containing P.E bag, hula hoop, craft packs, books, colouring books, crayons, shampoo, juice, toothpaste, washable handmade masks and a bottle of hand sanitiser 125 ml (Ladywood Project).
A brilliant example
We had these contributions from BHSF, J Hudson, Jewellery Quarter, Galliard, Avison, WRG, Ladywood Methodist church, St George’s church, Church Alive and local residents. Food and other items were delivered by Ruth Fuller and her volunteers, Emma and Stuart and we are very grateful for their hard work over the weeks.
We had 84 families referred to us with their 210 children helped. 71 were in BAME community. All were on benefit or NASS support.
This was a brilliant example of charities, businesses, faith groups and local residents working together to help those in their community
Comments