{"id":55173,"date":"2022-02-18T12:22:33","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T12:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=55173"},"modified":"2022-02-22T15:37:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T15:37:24","slug":"holiday-food-support-continues-for-february-half-term","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/holiday-food-support-continues-for-february-half-term\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday food support continues for February half-term"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Families of nearly 19,000 children in Devon have been sent supermarket vouchers this February half-term thanks to one-off government funding, that we’ve used to continue our drive to combat holiday hunger the county<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The financial challenges faced by some families due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can be intensified during the school holiday because of increased costs such as food and reduced incomes due to childcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past year, we have invested over \u00a34.7 million worth of government funding on providing nearly 140,000 supermarket vouchers for families who qualify for free school meals; so their children don\u2019t go hungry over the school holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Securing additional one-off funding means the scheme is able to operate again over the upcoming February half term break and Easter holiday, with vouchers worth \u00a315 per child per week automatically sent to families of children currently receiving free school meals to help them buy food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hundreds of schools across the county have helped to distribute the vouchers \u2013 worth \u00a3240,000 \u2013 to the families of their pupils.<\/p>\n\n\n

\r\n\t
\r\n

Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council\u2019s Cabinet Member for communities, said:<\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are seeking ways to support people in Devon experiencing hardship and I\u2019m pleased that we are able to continue to provide families in Devon on low-incomes with this support for the February half-term and Easter holidays.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe government has provided short-term funding over the period of the pandemic, which has\u00a0 allowed us to support households eligible for free school meals to also receive food support over the holiday periods<\/p>\n

\u201cApplications for free school meals have risen dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, and\u00a0 the latest figures show that \u00a0more families in Devon are eligible for this support that ever before.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a tough couple of years for some people, particularly financially with incomes changing suddenly as businesses struggle to recover. Household budgets are stretched, and many people are finding it especially difficult now as we move into colder winter months, particularly with the cost of food, energy, water and other essential items.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese vouchers will help ease the strain of buying extra food over the upcoming school holiday to replace the free school meals their children receive during term time and help make sure they won\u2019t go hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Roger Croad, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Equality<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

Around a further 2,500 children became eligible for free school meals over the last year, rising to a total of nearly 19,000 during the last term \u2013 nearly 17 per cent of all school children in Devon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Families are urged to check their vouchers and redeem them as soon as possible before they expire and get in touch with Devon County Council\u2019s free school meals team if you were expecting to receive a voucher but didn\u2019t. Please email freeschoolmeals@devon.gov.uk<\/a> or call 0345 155 1019<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you didn\u2019t previously qualify for free school meals but your income has recently reduced or stopped,\u202fplease apply online through the Devon County Council website<\/a>\u202fto check if you are eligible for this support as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The quickest and easiest way for your eligibility to be assessed is through the Devon County Council website<\/a> and you will get an instant decision. Alternatively, contact Devon County Council\u2019s education helpline on 0345 155 1019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More information about the free school meals holiday voucher scheme is available on Devon County Council\u2019s website.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":55178,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[7,34,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-children-families-and-education","category-community","category-dcc-homepage"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":55178,"title":"family shopping in supermarket","alt":"family shopping in 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