This Christmas, Essex County Council is continuing the holiday free school meal vouchers scheme it has run successfully since Christmas 2020.
Free school meal vouchers will be available for around 50,000 eligible pupils across Essex this Christmas Holiday (21 December- 4 January) thanks to renewed funding from the Department for Work and Pensions.
The funding of £1.5m has been allocated by the County Council from the Household Support Fund grant. The fund aims to support those in most need this winter with the cost of food, energy, water bills and other essentials.
The scheme will be coordinated by Wonde, a national provider of free school meal vouchers.
Vouchers will be sent to parents of eligible children and young people via their school, college or early years setting before the holidays start. They are worth £15 a week per child and can be used to buy food in most supermarkets.
In addition, this December through the ActivAte Programme, there will be 223 clubs, trips and family Christmas experiences available, offering fun physical activity, food education and healthy meals with 48 of the clubs offering special support for SEND pupils or mental wellbeing support.
These clubs are open to young people eligible for free school meals, as well as children from working families who may be struggling financially and require extra childcare support.
Support for residents including help with heating costs, foodbanks, and help with Household essentials can be found here.
Find out what ActiVate clubs and christmas experiences are happening in your area.
Source: Essex.Gov.Uk
