How Calderdale Council’s payment will fill half-term school meals gap

Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Coun Adam Wilkinson, said the Labour council was intervening again to support low income families in Calderdale Council’s area.

Coun Wilkinson said the £15 – for each child – is the equivalent of what families would normally receive for free school meals and he criticised the Government for not funding these over February half term.

“It’s clear this government just doesn’t understand the challenges faced by many families in our borough.

“The colder weather combined with many pupils learning from home has had a big financial impact on our communities, with some families struggling to keep their homes warm and put food on the table.

“We are doing everything we can to support our most vulnerable residents and help them to do the right thing by staying at home,” he said.

Coun Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) said the money will help to ensure the most disadvantaged children and young people in the borough are kept warm, well-fed, safe and healthy at home.

He said the grant builds on a number of initiatives the council is already running to help Calderdale’s low income families – including the Never Hungry Again campaign to eradicate child hunger, and the Laptops for Learning Appeal to get digital devices to disadvantaged children.

Coun Wilkinson said donations are still welcome to the Laptops for Learning appeal and to the Never Hungry Again fund – visit https://localgiving.org/charity/cffc/project/laptopforlearning/ or https://localgiving.org/charity/cffc/project/neverhungryagain/ to help.

The school meals during holidays amid the pandemic issue made national headlines following a campaign by Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford.