‘We’re here for the kids that don’t quality for the lunch vouchers’

CHILDREN that fall through the gaps won’t go hungry this summer.

That’s the mission for Juliet Sherratt, founder of the Woodley Lunch Bunch and one of many volunteers doing what they can to feed youngsters living in the borough.

She said that over the six-week holidays, many families that don’t qualify for benefits-related free school meal vouchers will still need help.

The group of volunteers say demand has soared, due to pressures from the pandemic.

“We’ve got 130 children on our books this year,” she said.

This is more than quadruple the number helped in 2020.

Ms Sherratt founded the organisation last year after recognising a need in Woodley, and it follows on the success of The Grub Club, a similar initiative in the neighbouring town.

“There is a gap where some children don’t qualify for the Government support,” she said.

This is particularly prevalent in Key Stage 1 pupils, explained Cllr Shirley Boyt, co-founder of the Woodley Lunch Bunch and Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates.

Since 2014, all reception, Year 1 and Year 2 students in state-funded schools have been given a free hot lunch, regardless of their family’s financial situation.

When it comes to the summer, some of these families struggle if they don’t qualify for the benefits-related food support.

“The vouchers only cover those receiving free school meals based on need,” Cllr Boyt said. “Key Stage 1 doesn’t have to demonstrate that need, they’re excluded from that provision.”

This, she said, puts many families with young children in a tight spot when the school holidays arrive, if they wouldn’t qualify for the benefits-related support.

Anna Rogerson, team member at The Grub Club, said the number of families they are supporting have almost doubled, from 33 in 2019 to 60 this summer. The group will feed 129 children and their parents.

She said some families will not qualify for Government food vouchers.

Community meals

Based at Norreys Church, the Wokingham group provides two meals for families each week of the summer holidays.

Ms Rogerson said these include a meal to eat at home, and a meal to be enjoyed at Norreys Church.
“People can come and all eat together,” she said. “It’s a community thing, families help out, and there are activities for the children.”

This will range from arts and crafts to exploring reptiles, bouncy castles, and a visit from Circus Scene.

“People can’t always afford days out,” Ms Rogerson said.

The Grub Club is still accepting volunteers for this summer, who can help cook meals and run activities for the children.

Campaigning for change

As part of its work, Ms Sherratt said the Woodley Lunch Bunch is also a campaign group.

“We want to lobby about food insecurity and hunger,” she said.

It comes as Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, launched the #righttofood campaign to change the law so that access to food becomes a legal right.

“My hope is that strategies will be put in place by national and local government so that food insecurity doesn’t affect families,” Ms Sherratt added. “It’s a big issue for a lot of families. There are things in place for those most in need – but there is a group of children not being supported.”
Food vouchers

This summer, Wokingham Borough Council is giving out vouchers to cover children’s meals, worth £15 per week.

Funded through the Covid Local Support grant from the Government, it is open to all pupils who receive benefits-related free school meals during term time.

Cllr John Halsall, leader of the borough council, said focus will be on areas of deprivation.

“No one is complacent,” he said. “It’s a huge task, but it’s what we’re here to do.

“We said we would, so we are.”

The funding was originally planned to end in June, but has been extended until the end of September.

With the extra three months’ worth of cash, families will receive one voucher per child per week.

Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat lead for children’s services, said she was pleased to see the borough council supplying food vouchers, but said it had been a “battle” from the beginning.

Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services at Wokingham Borough Council, said the council wants to ensure that no child goes hungry this summer.

But Cllr Boyt is concerned there is a reliance on charity help.

“We’re normalising foodbanks,” she said. “Because of funding, the third sector was used a lot in the covid response.”

She is concerned there could become a reliance on charities, instead of statutory provision by local authorities and the government.

“We set up the Woodley Lunch Bunch in response to covid, but quickly realised the need was there before, and will continue after.”

‘We don’t qualify for vouchers’

Lauren Hillman, whose name has been changed, has four children. With only one qualifying for a £15 food voucher each week of the summer holidays, Woodley Lunch Bunch has been there for her.

“They don’t leave any of my kids out,” she said. “The school told me about them last year, although I was worried it would make me a bad parent.”

She said the children are happier in the holidays, and eagerly anticipate the delivery days.

With fresh fruit, treats, sandwiches and activity packs, Ms Hillman said the support has helped her family.

“They even delivered a card and some chocolate on one of my children’s birthdays,” she added.

The human touch is what makes the Woodley Lunch Bunch, she explained. Volunteers arrive with a smile on their faces, and stay to chat to the children before moving onto the next location.

“I can’t thank them enough — they’ve helped a lot of families out,” Ms Hillman said.

Summer holiday activities

For the first time, children eligible for the food vouchers can also be signed up for activities.

Funded by the Department for Education, the Holiday Activities and Food Programme will provide free places at organised holiday activity sessions over the summer and Christmas holidays this year.

Children will also be given lunch during the sessions.

All families eligible for this will have been contacted about signing up to specific sessions.

Cllr Howe added: “We hope that the combination of providing food vouchers and free places at holiday activity sessions over the summer help our children and young people enjoy their summer holidays and help the families in the borough who most need our support.

“It’s been a challenging year and these young people have earned a bit of summer fun.”

Ms Sherratt said the Woodley Lunch Bunch was asked by the borough council to join the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, but declined.

“We’re doing it independently,” she said. “We want to be self-governing. Working with the council means more bureaucracy.

“We’re a community group in charge of ourselves.

“The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is only for one year, but the need won’t go away after covid.”

Exposing the problem

Ms Sherratt said food insecurity was already at play before the pandemic hit.

“Covid just exposed the problem,” she said. “But the covid response doesn’t solve the long term problems of people on low wages, insecure jobs, zero hours contracts — there’s lots of issues to be addressed.”

Ms Sherratt said this is particularly evident when borough residents wait five weeks for their first Universal Credit payment to arrive.

“I don’t know what people would do without the third sector,” Ms Sherratt said.

“The council refers people to the third sector as though it is a statutory provision. But what happens if we just downed tools?”

The Woodley Lunch Bunch will provide packed lunches for two days a week, as well as a weekly bag of groceries and activities for children.

The organisation has teamed up with First Day’s Children’s Charity, Freely Fruity, Woodley and Wokingham foodbanks and SHARE Wokingam.

• For more information about the council run programmes, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk
• For more information about the Woodley Lunch Bunch, visit: www.woodleylunchbunch.org
• For more information about The Grub Club, visit its Facebook page @theGrubclubWoky