FAMILIES struggling to feed children during half-term have been told: 'We will help you'

Cumbria County Council has put plans in place to support families in hardship over the coming week.

This includes those families whose children would normally receive free school meals as well as those who have found themselves facing financial challenge.

To ensure ‘no child goes hungry’ every area has a range of support and initiatives in place to support families in need so that they can access emergency supplies such as food.

These arrangements have been coordinated and supported through local community resilience groups to help support the COVID response and recovery efforts.

The county council has also been working closely with foodbanks and food initiatives across Cumbria to ensure support and essential supplies are in place for the foreseeable future, including half term.

Anybody in Cumbria, who is experiencing hardship can find a full list of groups and agencies who can provide support to them can be found in a local directory which can be found at

https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/childrensservices/childrenandfamilies/cfis/default.asp

Councillor Suzie Pye, South Lakeland District Council's portfolio holder for health, wellbeing and financial resilience, said: “It has been amazing to see the community response to the pandemic in our area.

So many different groups and charities have been working together, alongside SLDC and Cumbria County Council, to ensure that no child need go hungry in South Lakeland."

Call the county council’s Support Helpline on 0800 783 1966.