Summer Food Programme returns to Sefton

Sefton Council and its partners are once again providing food to schoolchildren from eligible families and other groups across the Borough through the 2022 summer holidays.

Now in its seventh year, the much-needed provision will see Sefton Council and Sefton Council For Voluntary Services (Sefton CVS) put together thousands of packed lunches for children across the Borough.

Find out more about our Access to Food Initiative 2022

In 2021, more than five thousand meals, in the form of takeaway packed lunches, are served through the scheme. And as in 2021, families who have had their income significantly affected by the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, will be eligible for the scheme.

And again, Sefton Council will be working in partnership with Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) to co-ordinate additional access to food with local Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) sector organisations across the borough.

To compliment the Summer Food offer to families, Sefton Council’s Family Wellbeing Centres will be hosting a number of activities for young people, as well as helpful sessions on topics such as Debt Advice, Wellbeing Days and Mental Health awareness.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing said: “This is always a very important service that Sefton Council and its partners provide but with escalating prices in the shops and rocketing fuel costs at home and at the petrol pumps it is, unfortunately, needed more than ever this year.

“We have had families tell us that without this service, they would have to miss paying bills to meet the extra cost of feeding their children during the long summer months, which is why we continue to do all we can to help people across Sefton who would otherwise struggle to put food on the table.”

This year’s scheme will run from August to September, with those families eligible for the scheme being notified in advance of where they will be able to collect their meals.