ROUGHLY half of the council’s £100,000 Covid Winter Grant has been distributed to families in the borough.
The council has supported 120 residents and families struggling to access food, fuel and other essentials this winter because of the pandemic.
In December, Wokingham Borough Council approved how the £205,000 Winter Grant Fund would be used to support residents over the winter months.
Roughly £100,000 of the funding was allocated for food vouchers for children who receive benefits-related free school meals during the Christmas holidays and February half term.
Care leavers were supported with £5,000 for food and utilities and the remaining funds were allocated to support other families and individuals.
Cllr John Kaiser, deputy leader of the council, said: “This is one of the most important tools we have this winter to help our residents – no family or individual in our borough should go hungry or be cold this winter.
“This has been a difficult year for all of us, but for those with financial difficulties the stresses must be unbearable. We are here to help.”
A borough resident who was helped by the grant, said: “I really appreciate the help in such difficult times. I am so lucky to have support from Citizens Advice and Wokingham Council and I really could not fault their service.
“The Winter Grant scheme has benefited me and my children so much and I honestly don’t know what I would have done without it.”
Another resident praised the One Front Door response, and said the Citizens Advice team were “very compassionate” about their personal situation.
They added: “This grant will really help us keep out of the red in these next coming months and help us provide meals for our children without worrying when I can go shopping again. I can’t explain how helpful this is to us.”
All residents in Wokingham borough are eligible to apply for the programme which runs until Wednesday, March 31.
It can be used to help pay for food and utility bills, but can also apply to other essentials such as sanitary products, warm clothing, blankets and boiler service and repair. The programme does not cover rent or mortgage payments.
Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services, said: “The Covid Winter Grant provides support to our most vulnerable families and individuals. It allowed us to provide free schools meals during the Christmas holiday and will do the same for the upcoming February half term. It also supports our young care leavers with food and utility costs, and helps our most vulnerable residents in the ways they need.
“We feel so strongly that all children should have access to free school meals that we’ve written to the secretary of state for education, Gavin Williamson, asking him to consider extending the temporary expansion of the programme to give all primary school children free school meals.
“Feeding our young people should be our number one priority. No child in the borough should go cold or hungry and this grant is helping make sure of that. This has been a difficult year for all of us, and we need to support those most in need.”
She said the Covid Winter Grant runs until the end of March, but the council has agreed to fund free school meals for school holidays for the rest of this year, using a combination of government funding and council funds.
To apply, residents should contact the One Front Door, run by Citizens Advice Wokingham by calling 0300 330 1189 and mentioning the Covid Winter Grant or by visiting citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk/coronavirus.
The One Front Door will assess resident needs and where appropriate make a recommendation to the council for funding from the Covid Winter Grant scheme.
Residents in need can also be signposted or supported to apply for the scheme or a representative can apply on their behalf.
