THE WOKINGHAM council has announced that it will be providing free school meals to children in need throughout this winter.

The announcement was made on November 11, stating that the Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has been granted an extra £208,703 in ring-fenced funding, under the Covid Winter Grant Scheme.

The scheme means that additional funding will go towards providing families in need of financial support to pay for food and bills, supporting families through the coming months ahead.

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As well as this, the Government has announced plans to extent the Holiday and Food Programme until Christmas 2021.

This means that students who are eligible to free school meals will be granted the option of joining a holiday-time programme, providing free healthy food and activities throughout next year.

Cllr John Halsall, WBC leader, said: "Through no fault of their own, Covid-19 has left many in difficult times across the Borough as they struggle to make ends meet.

"As Conservatives, we believe that, during these extraordinary times, its the job of central and local Government to step up and stand behind people in need.

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"No child should go hungry, and we lobbied our colleagues in Government to do everything possible to prevent this happening.

"I'm pleased that Conservatives in Government have heard our concerns, and are providing this additional funding to help families buy food, as well as extending the Holiday Activities and Food Programme.

"While conservatives are in charge of this council, we will continue to strive to end hardship wherever we find it in this borough."

Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services said: “We are thrilled to have received notification of our share of the ‘Covid Winter Grant Scheme’, a Government initiative to support families and children at this difficult time.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has been hard on all of us, but it has been most difficult for our families and children in need.

"We will be using part of this funding to support the provision of food vouchers for children who usually receive free school meals to help them through the winter holidays.

"We will be working up our arrangements with schools to ensure we are able to get the vouchers to those who need them here in Wokingham borough.”