School-holiday food and activities funded in Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced £340,000 to ensure those children that need it get a nutritious meal and a place to play and socialise during the school holidays.

Six charities that offer children breakfast, healthy snacks and a hot lunch, as well as a range of games and activities during the school holidays will receive a share of the funding..

This is the first funding announcement of the Scottish Government’s recently increased budget to tackle food insecurity during school holidays – which has risen from £500,000 last year to £2 million in 2019-20.

Cash For Kids and Children in Scotland are two of the national charities that will benefit as well as local projects provided by Centrestage (Ayrshire); Dundee Bairns (Dundee); Community Food Initiatives North East (Aberdeen); and Achieve More Scotland (Glasgow and West Lothian).

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “While we provide free school meals to children in P1 to P3 and to those on low incomes throughout their time at school, we know it can be a struggle for some parents to provide meals and keep children entertained when their school takes a break.

“The school holidays should be a time for fun. This funding will allow projects working in rural and urban areas across Scotland to deliver fun activity programmes for children and young people in the school holidays and include healthy nutritious meals so no child goes hungry.

“This year we have committed to increase spending from £500,000 to £2 million to help support local authorities and the third sector to tackle food insecurity during the school holidays. The extra money will be a huge benefit to families who need it the most.”