Struggling Nottingham families to receive more support this summer

Nottingham City Council has made £15-per-week vouchers available to all pupils who receive free school meals over previous holiday periods which are issued to parents ahead of their children breaking up from school.

This year, several outdoor holiday activities across Nottingham will also be made available alongside the vouchers. At these events, free school meals pupils will receive a free lunch, as well as a programme of activities focused on healthy eating, fitness and mental health.

Ahead of the Easter holidays this year, the Council appointed two lead organisations to help deliver the activity sessions – Nottingham Forest Community Trust and Trent Bridge Community Trust. More than 3,000 children across Nottingham took part.

Calum Osborne, Chief Executive Officer at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said:“We are thrilled to continue our positive partnership with Nottingham City Council and local organisations to deliver the city’s HAF programme during the upcoming summer holidays.

“We are looking forward to welcoming children to our engaging and educational sessions, providing them with invaluable opportunities to develop new skills, strengthen their confidence, and embark on an exciting journey of exploration into the world of healthy nutrition within a dynamic atmosphere.”

At a meeting of the Full Council in November 2020, councillors highlighted the levels of child poverty in Nottingham and committed to supporting free school meals to children throughout the holidays in 2021 and 2022. This has since been extended through 2023.

Mark Clifford, Community Projects Manager at Trent Bridge Community Trust, said: “We’re pleased with how the Easter programmes were attended and look forward to the summer being even better. There are some amazing activities on offer for young people of Nottingham to take part in, and of course, the healthy meal ensuring that support is provided to our families who need it the most.”

The projects have been funded through a combined award of £3.68 million from the Household Support Grant Scheme and the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF).

The HAF funding has been allocated from the Department for Education with certain criteria attached which states the support for tackling holiday hunger should be through free school meals for pupils attending holiday clubs.

Parents can book places using their e-voucher codes which will be distributed by their child’s school from 12 June. Anyone in receipt of benefit-related FSM who hasn’t received an e-voucher should contact: [email protected].

There are also a limited number of places available for targeted children who aren’t eligible for free school meals and these will be allocated by the schools.