As many enjoy a week off for half term, around 20,000 children in Lincolnshire that rely on free school meals will go hungry, according to a source from Lincolnshire County Council.
This follows the Government’s decision not to extend the free meals through the week-long break.
Councillor Robert Parker, who represents the Carholme constituency of Lincoln, has written a letter to the leader of the county council, asking him to provide £300,000 – enough to feed all the eligible children for one week.
Cllr Parker said: “We should be looking after those people, children and young people whose families are on low incomes, and during the holiday period, six weeks in the summer, Christmas and half term and Easter breaks they don’t have access to free school meals.
He said that, while the Government has given Lincolnshire £860,000, that money has been allocated to food banks and self-help groups.
“We have been in a COVID disaster since March and, while that money has been used positively, it does not help the individual parent in this holiday and in future holidays.”
Cllr Parker is not the first to take such action. He says 78 councils across the country have allocated separate funds for this purpose.
As well as this, footballer Marcus Rashford has called on the government to feed children, suggesting that families could be given vouchers to be able to get food.
However, despite his pleas, the Government has so far refused, instead providing extra funding to local councils and leaving them to structure a response.
Many businesses and organisations, such as pubs and chip shops, have offered their support, providing packed lunches and free meals.
“We know that some businesses in Lincoln are giving free meals to people who can prove they have them at school,” said Cllr Parker, “I think it is wonderful what businesses are doing to help the children.”
Councillor Parker is urging Lincolnshire county council to follow suit and help the children that may not be able to get enough food from their parents due to low incomes, or even loss of jobs through the pandemic.