“Holiday hunger” scheme providing free meals to youngsters across Wrexham

A ‘Holiday Hunger’ project is helping to provide thousands of free meals to youngsters across the town the summer.

Based at St Mark’s Church in Caia Park, the scheme sees volunteers make packed lunches which are then sent out to play schemes in the area.

It means youngsters in the area can access free, healthy food through the summer holidays – when many would have otherwise struggled.

The Holiday Hunger scheme, which Ian Lucas MP helped establish in 2014, is now run by The Church in Wales and supported by a team of volunteers, local supermarkets and other community groups.

He argued that the existence of the scheme had been down to the “austerity measures from the conservative government”.

“We set this project up a few years ago after community leaders raised the issue of holiday hunger with me,” explained Mr Lucas.

“What they had realised was that the school holidays could mean real hunger for some children in Wrexham.

“The provision made in schools to help provide children with food is, by definition, not there once school doors close for the holidays, so something was needed to fill the gap as it was clear some families were struggling.”

The scheme began with assistance from Kellogg’s, who provided free cereal bars. It is now coordinated by The Church in Wales and runs throughout the summer holidays, at Christmas and other school holidays, with key support from other local faith groups, community groups and other organisations.

Healthy packed lunches are prepared by volunteers at St Mark’s, before being distributed to children at the Gwenfro Valley, Venture and St Mark’s play schemes.

Mr Lucas volunteered for a day recently, helping prepare the food with his wife Norah and St Mark’s member Sandra Haskey.

He added: “The Holiday Hunger scheme is an excellent example of volunteers working together for the benefit of children needing help in our community.

“I’m very proud of the work they are doing.”