Council extends free school meals during holidays for rest of academic year

Latest school news EMN-200311-090602001Latest school news EMN-200311-090602001
Latest school news EMN-200311-090602001
Thousands of eligible Leicestershire schoolchildren will receive free school meals during holidays, as well as term time, for the rest of the academic year through new funding from the county council.

County Hall has set aside £500,000 to meet the cost of the initiative at the Christmas, half-term and Easter breaks, for the 12,000 children and young people who qualify.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The move follows a campaign by England and Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford to ask the government to extend free school meals for a sustained period after lockdown to help struggling families.

County council leader, Nick Rushton, said: “Times are still tough – and we simply can’t have children going hungry during the pandemic.

“So we’re stepping up to plug the gap and help thousands of families who need support.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Our schools have already had their half-term but we’re committing funding for the rest of this school year.

“Not only is this the right thing to do, it underlines our commitment to providing the help and support our children and families need.”

Details of the scheme are being finalised.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.