Food and fun parcels for Babergh and Mid-Suffolk families this half term
Local councils have teamed up to combat holiday hunger.
Babergh and Mid-Suffolk Council's have teamed up to fund food and fun parcels for vulnerable families this February half term.
The parcels will contain food and activities.
There'll be ingredients for five meals for a family of four, with recipe cards and links to online cooking tutorials.
Bird box making kits and other activities to encourage families to get outdoors will also be delivered in time for the holidays.
The local authorities say the initiative aims to help ensure no child goes hungry when free school meals are paused during the school holidays.
Families in need are identified by local schools and must be in receipt of free school meals or facing hardship because of Covid to be eligible.
One person who received a similar parcel over the Christmas holidays said: "We are extremely grateful to Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, and Abbeycroft Leisure, for allowing our family to take part in the Explore Outdoor cooking project.
"We have been able to use the recipe cards to make some nice food and do it together as a family."
Previously food parcels, cookery lessons, and outdoor activities were provided at in-person events, but due to current lockdown restrictions this can't go ahead as planned at the moment.
Cllr Derek Davis, Babergh District Council cabinet member for communities said:
"No child should ever have to go hungry and I am pleased that Babergh District Council has lent its support to a project which aims to stop this from happening.
"These food parcels will provide not just meals for a week, but ideas on how to make food stretch further in future - making a real difference to the lives of low-income families in our district."
Cllr Julie Flatman, Mid Suffolk District Council cabinet member for communities said:
"I am delighted that Mid Suffolk residents continue to benefit from Explore Outdoor initiatives, allowing children to get fit and fed.
"This latest funding demonstrates our council's ongoing commitment to supporting families, at a time when this is needed more than ever."
Frank Carn-Pryor from Abbeycroft Leisure, who manages the Explore Outdoor programmes and initiatives said:
"We're very grateful for the support to once again be able to set-up collection centres this half-term for the much-needed food parcels and activities."
"We know how important physical activity is for children and adults, together with good nutrition which doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.
"Our recipes and videos, designed by local chef James Carn, offer some very simple, cheap, nutritious meals that will satisfy the whole family."