Children going hungry in the summer holidays

Children do not ask to be born to 'feckless' parents though GabriellaG, and perhaps it is more than feeding a hungry child. It could be showing a child another way of living, a kindness, that could mean that child would act differently when they themselves have a family one day.

I think the point of the thread was about providing a nourishing meal for a child who would go hungry during the holidays because, generally speaking, the only decent meal they would ever get is a school meal during term-time.

Somehow, the thread has meandered on to food banks.

Barmeyoldbat

I make no apologies for my comment here.
I am not about to pick up the slack for parents who don't budget efficiently. A pack of cigarettes would feed a family of 4, a decent home-cooked dinner plus breakfast.
Basic food cooked well.
I will never find myself in that position as I spend far less than my incoming pension and I owe not a penny piece.

I haven't read this in full and have to go out now, but it would seem to be relevant:

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-01-19/debates/CD1F89D8-ACE1-4C2C-924C-D672E9E99B23/SchoolHolidays(MealsAndActivities)Bill

I don't doubt some of those going to foodbanks and/or getting benefits are fit and able to work but choose not to - however I don't believe that is the majority and we have to remember we are talking about children going hungry here. Whether it is through the poverty of the parents or neglect surely the priority should be to see that the children are fed.

Yes, I may be helping "freeloaders" but if by doing so I am also helping feed a hungry child then so be it

Some of the things you are saying could well be true, but we mustn't forget in this children are going hungry, even if their parents could look after them properly some choose not to.
What NanKate is saying is true - and even food banks are not the answer to the problem of some children going hungry in the school holidays, as school dinners may be the only substantial meal they get.

I hope this scheme is continuing again this year, funded by the Welsh Government.
There was talk of the 'sugar tax' being used to fund free meals in the holidays for children in need - has this happened?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-38490966

I despair of some peoples attitudes to those in a less fortunate situation then themselves. First benefits, everyone is going to be on Universal Credit by the end of 2019, or so they say, This means going at least 6 weeks with no money whatsoever coming in and when you get your benefit you will find you are in arrears with their rent as it paid a month in arrears. Then we have people on low wages struggling with housing costs etc. As for people having children, well children are the future, they are the ones who will be doing the jobs needed to keep the country going. I just hope the poster who said they never give to food banks never needs help of any sort. Shame n you for your attitudes.

I never give to food banks. They encourage people to be reliant on handouts and most of those families have iphones, Sky/Netflix, 50" tvs etc...I've seen it first hand as I have visited some recipients in their homes in order to help them with their finances.
Not any more.
My charity stops at the RNLI, KSSAIR and the Sally Army.

paddyann and nahama

"Don't Judge......." and "walk a mile in my shoes"
Agreed but I am remain mystified as to why we need food banks in England. Many years ago I lived "below the breadline" with DH and four children under four in a well off Antipodean country. No Food Banks or hand outs available!

The phrase "cut your coat according to your cloth" comes to mind.

does it matter how much it costs? If the parents aren't feeding the children for whatever reason should that mean the rest of us stand back and watch them starve? Not in my world..and thankfully not in my governments world either ...I am delighted our schools will still feed hungry kids during the holidays .Its just luck if we aren't in the same position..bad luck happens to most of us at some stage in our lives .

Hmm..there ARE awful tales of poverty but I'm a tad sceptical. I used to work in a supermarket- young mums on breadline came in to spend their government milk/ fruit tokens... lose count of how many tried to use them for fags or sweets. Or having got their free milk would splurge on scratchcards from their (presumable) state benefits. I see breakfast clubs at schools for kids who'd otherwise go hungry...but how much do a couple of slices of toast (Savers bread!) cost honestly? I took a homeless guy out for breakfast once, arranged to meet up with him next day to try to help him find accommodation (he never showed...tho he was fit & well & elsewhere in town.) I don't doubt people are poor but don't think you have to starve (even without food banks.)

You have to be given a referral to go to a foodbank ...through GP...Social Worker...Headteacher...Church.Minister etc. I know this for a fact as my son in law is one of above and has to do referrals himself. You do not just turn up randomly off the street to cadge free food as some people seem to think. Also there is a limit to how many times you can be given free food from the foodbank and it is not weekly either. Some foodbanks and churches do have access to facilities for cooking hot meals for the homeless and less fortunate ...some eat for free, while others make a small donation if they can. This is all done by volunteers who care about others. A local fish & chip shop near where I live donates a free hot meal every other week..via the volunteers for a group of homeless people. Thankfully we have a lot of people who can see were help is needed and give it willingly.

I am horrified by some of the reactions above! Don't you know that nurses and other paid workers are sometime having to supplement their low incomes by visits to food banks? Of course there may be some scroungers - that's life - but the banks would not exist if there were not a real human need. I'm ashamed to be among such mean-spirited grans!

Thanks for letting me know I will donate something when I shop later.

It could be that sometimes both parents, or single parent, have to go to work.
Feeling a bit guilty here - when our 4 were 10-15 both husband and I worked full time and the summer hols. were always a problem.
Sometimes I paid a lady to keep an eye on them and cook a meal, later they fended for themselves, took turns, or I dashed back in my lunch hour.
TG no serious accidents.

What a brilliant idea paddyann . Nothing like that around here sadly . The families who would normally get free dinners at my grandchildrens primary ( and I would imagine there would be a very high percentage) must really struggle during the long summer break especially those with a few children.
Our WI collects food for the local food bank all year round but nothing specific to help children during the summer holidays .

Oh dear.
Some very judgemental Gransnetters on this thread.

Do you know there are people who are working long hours for low pay who STILL have to resort to foodbanks to feed their families?

Do some research before you pass judgement!

I wouldn't mind betting the ones complaining about ''scroungers'' are people who voted Tory, wanted Brexit very badly and don't like immigrants.

quizqueen - "Don't have children if you can't afford to feed them"

That's a bit of an assumption. Who's to say those families weren't well able to afford their children when they had them. We never ever know what lies around the corner for us.

They do say we are only three pay cheques away from homelessness and poverty. Any one of us could end up in that position through no real fault of their own

Paddyann Well said. It doesn't take long before the judgment starts. Heaven forfend that someone poor should smoke a cigarette. They are meant to live in penury and prove continually to total strangers that they are deserving. There is nothing that people who are well off like more than micromanaging the spending of the poor.

Quizqueen - which immigrants are you against? Our overseas NHS staff, the Windrushers, war orphans? Or just the ones you view as not good enough to be here?

Granny Scott have you heard of brighthouse. This how people on benefits get all the nice stuff . But they double or triple what it cost your or . As they can't get credit any other way .

Lots of people sell or steal (then sell on) phones hence that is why you see people on benefits with nice phone.
You can get cheap some for phones
You have to be online to get benefit and look for jobs .

Montymops, Missfoodlove - it must be wonderful to be so perfect and all-knowing that you can make judgements about other peoples' lives and motives without knowing anything about them. Ever heard that old saw “walk a mile in my shoes”?

Some of the things you are saying could well be true, but we mustn't forget in this children are going hungry, even if their parents could look after them properly some choose not to.

I wonder how many people who use food banks spend their benefits on cigarettes, drugs, gambling or alcohol instead of food. Sorry, I don't support food banks at all. Don't have children if you can't afford to feed them. I am very against immigration in general but do admire the spirit of some of the young Eastern Europeans. If they can travel thousands of miles to start a new life and get a job in this country then our people should be able to provide for themselves too.

Ever since I heard from a friend who works voluntarily in a food bank about a family of five adults - perfectly able to work but choose not to - because they openly admitted to receiving more money in benefits -including food from the food bank - than if mother,father, 3 strapping sons all went to work - I have refused to contribute. I frankly don’t believe they cannot work and am cross that the nanny state continues to allow this sort of laziness to persist.

With the Benefit system we have in this country no one should need a food bank. People turn up in cars! I wonder do they have expensive mobile phones with contracts and are they watching the World Cup on huge sized Tv’s. With a SKY contract? Unfortunately it’s the children who suffer as their needs are not always put first. Sorry to whinge but honestly I have seen it all in mylife so far.