Raising funds for Derbyshire School Holiday Clubs 

The Feeding Derbyshire network of School Holiday Clubs have been working hard to support struggling families throughout the Covid-19 crisis. With our support, they have been able to provide children with food parcels during the Summer and October Half-term Holidays.

We would like to raise additional funds for the Christmas period to ensure that families not only have the basics covered, but that they can have a few festive treats too!

This is how your donations can help.

£5 could pay for one of the following:

• FareShare to provide 4 days’ worth of food for one child 
• 5 chocolate selection packs (Cadbury’s) 
• 2 pocket money art kits (Hobby Craft) 
• a children’s book

£10 could pay for one of the following:

• FareShare to provide 4 days’ worth of food for two children 
• 10 chocolate selection packs
• 4 pocket money art kits (Hobby Craft)
• 2 children’s books

£20 could pay for one of the following:

• FareShare to provide 4 days’ worth of food for four children
• A frozen turkey!
• 20 chocolate selection packs
• 8 pocket money art kits (Hobby Craft)
• 4 children’s books

Please donate what you can. 

This is why we need your help...

The Feeding Derbyshire Partnership supports a network of holiday clubs that are part of our own Healthy Holidays programme. These clubs are located across the county, including Buxton, Chesterfield, Barrow Hill, Staveley, Matlock, Holmewood, Cresswell, Grassmoor, Doe Lea, Alfreton, Long Eaton, Kirk Hallam and Swadlincote.

To date, our Healthy Holidays programme has been supported by funding from Derbyshire County Council, Feeding Britain, Central England Co-Op and funds raised by the projects themselves

In the October half-term we worked with FareShare to support 15 clubs, supplying them with three days’ worth of food for over 2000 children. This was equivalent to over 10 tonnes of food and more than 15,000 meals. The scheme cost over £8,500 to run during the autumn break. 

In the six week summer holidays, 18 Holiday Clubs took part and together we supported over 6000 children and families, at a cost of £53,000.

Based on figures supplied by the October Holiday Clubs, on average 60% of the families attending would have had a family member go without meals over the half-term break if they had not received the food parcels provided. This figure rose to 100% in some areas.

Feedback from these clubs confirm that many families are struggling financially, and that a growing number of these are not yet eligible for benefits or Universal Credit, and are therefore not in receipt of Free School Meals. They do not always know where to go for help. These families were ‘just managing’ before the COVID crisis, but changes in work circumstances, reduced hours or recent job losses mean that they have significant money worries and many are falling between the cracks.

The second lockdown has seen some self-employed parents and those who are small business owners coming to the end of their savings, and turning to food projects for help to feed their families.

Whilst the Government’s recent announcement regarding the Covid Winter Grant Scheme is very welcome, we do not yet know how much local holiday clubs will receive from this funding pot, and whether this will actually meet demand. There is a sense that we are just scratching the surface, and that many more families will present to our projects over the festive period.  Click here for more information on this.

The additional monies we raise will be distributed to the Holiday Clubs in our network, as they are best placed to assess the needs of their communities. Our clubs have already expressed a wish to purchase Christmas Dinner ingredients, treats and small craft/activity packs or books for the children and families they will support.

If you have any queries, please contact Joanne Peck, [email protected].

Thank you.