Lottery steps up for school holiday lunch scheme

A Lunch Support Scheme run by Hackney Foodbank to ensure children don’t go hungry during the school holidays has received £20,000 funding from the National Lottery.

The money, awarded by the National Lottery’s Community Fund, will provide supermarket vouchers for families experiencing hardship who are referred to the food bank so they can buy ingredients for lunches.

Pat Fitzsimons, CEO of Hackney Foodbank, said: “The number of children supported by Hackney Foodbank has more than doubled in the past two years and the school holidays bring real pressures for those experiencing food poverty.  For many parents, the added cost of having to provide lunch for children when they’re out of school is more than they can manage.

“This funding from the Lottery is a real lifeline – it will enable us to provide parents of school-aged children with supermarket vouchers so children have enough to eat during the holidays.”

Hackney Foodbank has also produced a Summer in the City guide, with free activities for families to enjoy in London this summer.

Pat added: “Trying to keep the kids entertained in the school holidays can be a challenge; particularly on a tight budget so our team have come up with a brilliant list of what’s on for free this summer.”

The number of children supported by Hackney Foodbank more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, with many local families struggling to meet the rising cost of living.

Between January 2022 and January 2024, food prices in the UK have increased by an average of 25% and household energy bills have risen sharply.  

Hackney Foodbank has six distribution centres serving communities in Dalston, Hoxton, Clapton, Hackney, Stoke Newington and Haggerston and the Hackney Giving Van (a mobile food bank) is out five days a week.

To find out more, visit www.hackney.foodbank.org.uk