Following the government’s decision not to extend free school meals to vulnerable families over half term, a JustGiving fund has been set up to provide support to those businesses, organisations and community groups who have stepped in to provide food to families who are in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.
The JustGiving page has been set up by local artist Drunk Wolf and is being supported by St Helens Borough Council and Halton & St Helens Voluntary and Community Action and will help support businesses who are providing free meals to eligible children, whilst they themselves are experiencing the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on their livelihoods.
If you would like to support the effort to help children, you can donate through JustGiving here or you can pay for a lunch for a child by texting ST HELENS to 70085 to pay £2 and your standard text message rate.
The initial funding raised will be allocated among businesses and community groups who are currently supporting children, with plans to carry on fundraising to support future school holidays.
A list of all the businesses and organisations across St Helens Borough who are stepping up to provide free meals can be found here https://www.schoolmealfinder.org
The support offered by local businesses and the community is in addition to the core St Helens Borough Council offer of food vouchers to the value of £15 a week per child to families who are entitled to free school meals this October half term. Vouchers are available digitally or in hard copy form, but the digital format is far quicker to receive and can be issued and emailed to the family almost immediately. Eligible families can call the St Helens Together hotline on 01744 676767, pressing option 1 for food enquiries. You can choose which supermarket you want to receive your voucher for, with choices including local supermarkets such as Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys or Tesco.
You can also find handy recipes to feed you and your family for £14 for the week available at www.sthelens.gov.uk/recipes.
St Helens Borough Council Leader, Councillor David Baines, said:
“The support that our local businesses and organisations have pledged to provide to those in need has been overwhelming, and this is especially poignant at this time when so many businesses themselves are feeling the impact of the restrictions on their livelihoods.
“The people of our borough are among the most selfless and generous around when it comes to looking after our own, which is why we set up #StHelensTogether. If you are able to do so, just a £2 donation could help ensure that we can support local businesses in providing free food to eligible children. Any money raised will be allocated to businesses and local organisations supporting those in need this half term and will also be used to pay forward for free school meals to those who are eligible over the Christmas holiday period.
“Together with local businesses and residents our council will do everything we can support vulnerable families, now and all year round.”
