One million pounds set aside for vulnerable families in Stoke this Christmas

Thousands of schoolchildren, vulnerable families, homeless people, and voluntary and community groups are expected to benefit from the scheme which forms part of the governments 'Winter Grant Fund'.

The authority will set aside the majority of the money in a bid to prevent 18,460 children going hungry during the winter.

Over the Christmas and February holidays, £15 per week, per child in food vouchers will be provided through schools for each holiday week and an additional £5 payment per child for Christmas Day.

The authority will also be making equivalent payments to those families with children in early years settings who are most at risk of economic hardship and with very young children or other children not in formal childcare. The scheme will also be extended to support care leavers at risk of hardship.

Find out how the council plans to spend the rest of the money below:

£825,150 for free school meals

£825,150 to help 18,460 schoolchildren with free school meals during the Christmas period and February half-term. Families will be issued vouchers via email or text that can be used at Aldi, Asda, Iceland, McColl’s, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. The vouchers will be for children in receipt of free school meals; children with funded pre-school places; children with education, health and care plans (EHCP); children not on a school roll who would normally receive free school meals or additional support through an EHCP); and care leavers.

£58,344 to battle fuel poverty

£58,344 for local charity Beat the Cold to provide 1,000 fuel vouchers to vulnerable households affected by fuel poverty.

The funding to local charity ‘Beat the Cold’ will help to ensure that 1,000 families most in need receive fuel vouchers and support to help them with utility providers to reduce their bills or even arrange a fresh-start. Local water supplier Severn Trent also has its ‘big difference’ scheme providing priority services, application of a social tariff offering a reduction in bills, capping bills for families with three or more children and/or supporting someone with a disability requiring additional water usage.

£72,960 to support the homeless

£57,960 to help around 45 homeless people living in hotels with £14-worth of food a day for three months.

£15,000 to help around 50 homeless people in hostel accommodation for 12 weeks. The funding will help with payments for food, fuel, wi-fi, TV, water rates and sewerage.

£73,908 for local charities

£50,000 to extend a hugely popular community fund to help voluntary and community groups continue to deliver vital support to residents during the coronavirus pandemic.

£23,908 for the Hubb Pot Project by local charity the Hubb Foundation. The money will provide up to 150 families with a slow cooker and ingredients for one meal a day for 12 weeks. A series of recipe cards will also be provided, with the aim that families are able to continue to benefit independently when the support ends.

The funding will help the Hubb Pot Project continue its work in supporting families across the city. The Hubb Foundation founder and trustee Carol Shanahan said: “We are delighted that the council has supported this project. We have been so successful during the lockdown and our recipe cards are proving a great hit, with families taking part being really creative in using the ingredients and developing their cooking skills. Families have been sending us photos of their meals and the children have loved it, it has been so good to see. The funding means we can go out to support more families.”

Council leader Abi Brown said: “This funding is a wonderful Christmas present to thousands of families and residents. We are already working quickly so that people can feel the benefit of this support as soon as possible.

“The funding has been targeted to help people most in need, and we’re thrilled to be able to make it available to residents in Stoke-on-Trent.

“Children and young people are our priority, and this money will ensure that thousands of children can benefit from healthy and filling free meals during holiday periods. The funding will also prioritise vulnerable adults, and we want to ensure that people do not suffer over the cold winter months ahead. It is a great boost for families, and the initiative further strengthens our support for vulnerable homeless people.”