Somerset food clubs join businesses to provide meals

People who can afford to continue to be urged make donations to food banks

School holiday clubs have joined forces with businesses to provide free meals for children as food prices rise.

It comes after Somerset Community Foundation made a plea for donations amid the cost of living crisis.

Subsidised clubs set up to tackle food inequality are being supported by larger businesses to continue their work.

One housing group said they hoped to establish a "strong social presence" with the move.

Families in Somerset struggling to afford food during the holidays, especially those whose children get free school meals, are getting support from the likes of the Good Grub Club and Project Food.

The Good Grub Club has been set up by Abri, a housing group in the South West.

It is working with Chard food bank, The Lords Larder, which said it is currently helping an average of 50 families per month and giving away up to 100 bags of food.

Initiatives are helping people to get food but also to offer tips on making nutritious meals

Lucy Davis, Abri's community development officer, said the club teaches families "how to make cheap but nutritious food" and "bring everybody together".

"We know that [in Chard] it can be a slightly more isolated area," she said.

"So it is really good to be able to work with community-minded people to provide as many services and amenities as possible in that area."

Rama Life, a similar group based in South Petherton, was given a grant by Western Power Distribution to give places to families on its free meal scheme.

Jenny Hodge, its managing director, said it was "embarrassing" that there are "so many organisations that are able to make an awful lot of money and we have got children that aren't being fed".

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