THE LORD Mayor of Coventry has opened a community garden at a Foleshill church.
St Laurence’s Church welcomed Lord Mayor Ann Lucas to see a breakfast club, with a new community garden.
Mayor Lucas joined a host of guests celebrating the opening of the garden and to see the work being carried out at the hub helping children and families struggling during the school holidays with food poverty issues.
Coun Lucas, a former pupil at St Laurence’s School, said: “I am honoured to be able to open this lovely garden for the use of the local community and see the fantastic work that is happening here supporting the vulnerable and local people in need during this difficult time.
“The children are having a great time and it is all thanks to the volunteers that give up their time and expertise to help. Thanks go to them all”
The Summer Holiday Breakfast Club 2020 is funded by Feeding Coventry and works with partners and the Coventry Food Network distributing the breakfast and activity packs and support to families who are struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The government introduced a national food voucher scheme, which provides vulnerable families (those children eligible for free school meals) with a £15 per child e-voucher – per week. This is now being continued during the summer holidays. The voucher can be spent at supermarkets to cover the cost of a child’s meal.
Around 11,000 children in Coventry are eligible for free school meals.
Community-based food hubs have been providing around 1500 food parcels a week throughout the Covid-19 outbreak and will also be providing breakfast packs for children in need during the school holidays.
The breakfast and activity packs are being funded by Feeding Coventry. Anyone who would like to donate to the scheme can do so via feedingbritain.org/donations/donate-to-feeding-coventry/
