Free holiday meal vouchers canned for half-term

Free holiday meal vouchers are no longer available with parents being told to use community pantries instead

Thousands of parents hit by the cost of living crisis face greater hardship after a free holiday meal voucher scheme was axed ahead of half-term.

Some 35,000 children in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will lose out after councils said they could not afford to fund the £15 per child a week benefit.

Instead parents are being directed towards community pantries.

But there is only one on the Isle of Wight and support in Hampshire will only be available from 6 June.

Hampshire County Council said the county's 19 community pantries were a "sustainable method" of providing food to families in need.

"For a contribution of £5, 'members' receive in excess of £15 worth of food," its website said.

Isle of Wight and Ventnor resident Myra Butcher has five children eligible for free school meals. She previously qualified for the holiday voucher scheme.

Myra Butcher with Hunter, left, and Leeland, right

The 39-year-old, who was sewing jubilee-themed outfits for her children, said she was "really disappointed" by the policy change.

"I rely on those vouchers. I buy yellow-stickered products and save around £70 a week. What am I going to do now?"

'A real struggle'

"Half term is going to be tight, a real struggle, there won't be many treats," she added.

In Hampshire 31,282 children received holiday meal vouchers this year, on the Isle of Wight it was 3,895 children.

The island's council is establishing five community pantries on the island, but currently only one, in East Cowes, is open. It is "a one and a half to two hour bus journey or a 45 minute car trip," Ms Butcher said.

"There should be street parties for the jubilee, everybody bringing a plate of food, but nobody can afford that," she added.

Kirsty Chapman, who runs Ventnor's Better Days Cafe, raised more than £1,200 in donations within 24 hours to offer free food to struggling families.

"It's all got out of hand a bit quick," she said.

Kirsty Chapman raised £1,200 in less than 24 hours to pay for the free food she will give away

She will make 50 packed lunches a day over the holiday.

"Every single message I've had from people starts off with an apology, but they're angry because no-one said these vouchers were going to be stopped," she said.

Hampshire County Council said: "There is no longer sufficient government funding for free holiday meal vouchers over the May half term.

"However, we are using the new Household Support Fund to offer support to families from early June through a number of local organisations, including community pantries."

The Department for Work and Pensions said: "The Household Support Fund is not intended to replicate or replace Free School Meals.

"However, authorities have discretion over how they use the funding...and may choose to offer awards to families in receipt of Free School Meals if they consider this to be appropriate."