‘School holidays are a real struggle for families’, say Oxfordshire foodbank
Many schools across the County broke up yesterday for the summer
A foodbank in Oxfordshire say they expect to see an increase in demand for its services over the summer holidays.
It’s after the majority of schools in the County broke up yesterday for the summer, which is a time that families can't rely on much-needed free school meals.
Maria Grindley, Chair of Witney Foodbank said: “The concerns for parents now is thinking about not only how we're going to feed the kids through the day, but also what to do with kids.
She added: “Ultimately, the school holidays are an expensive time for families. Even if you go to the park, you still need to put something in a bag for a picnic which in itself can be a real struggle for families.”
Ms Grindley says they expect to see an increase in demand over the holidays, similarly to Christmas as “they are peak times”.
She said: “Families struggle that bit more because they're not getting the support and structure from schools and other institutions.
“We're here to help - that's what we're here to do. Please don't struggle because the minute that you don't get that help, you can then start building up debt and be in a position where people in your household are not being fed.
“That is something that we really don't want to see happen, so please get in touch with us and we will do everything we can to support you.”
Maria adds, “there are some really good schemes and really good charities across Witney and Oxfordshire to support families who are struggling through the holidays.”