Home » News

“Making sure our city’s children don’t go hungry is our number one priority” – fundraiser launched to feed kids over half-term and Christmas

By on in News

The Spirit of Salford network has launched a fundraiser to help finance a holiday hunger package to families during half-term and also over Christmas.

Following a year of furlough and job losses, parents are finding it harder than ever to support themselves and their families during the ongoing pandemic struggle.

Back in march Councillors Sharmina August and Lewis Nelson created The Spirit of Salford Network to help those in need of support.

The group offered support with things such as supplying essential items, food shopping, and even suport with looking after pets.

Now seven months on Councillor August is working with the Spirit of Salford to raise money for their Holiday Hunger Campaign.

The support from this campaign will help children and young people in need over the Christmas period and will combat the lack of support from the government.

The campaign comes following the news that government has rejected Marcus Rashford’s proposals to feed impoverished children over the school holidays.

As a representative for Spirit of Salford, August said: “To help the council, we have set a target of £20,000 to raise from the community towards this project.

“Just like we did at the start of this pandemic, the Spirit of Salford will bring our communities together to support one another and help through these hard times.

“This will be a very hard Christmas for thousands of families in Salford, and across the country. I know that we are ready to look out for each other, and keep the Christmas spirit alive.

City Mayor Paul Dennett was critical of the government following their announcement not to fund school meals over the school holidays.

He said: “When billions can be found for private sector contracts – often contracts which fail and have to be subsequently bailed out – it is remarkable how callous government can be when considering the plight of vulnerable British children.

“I, like many others across the country, was shocked to hear about the government’s refusal to back Marcus Rashford’s proposals – proposals which themselves were based on government’s own commissioned policy recommendations.”