Free school meals to continue in Redbridge throughout the Christmas holidays

All Redbridge families who receive support through the free school meals programme will continue to do so throughout the Christmas holiday period.

Earlier this year, Redbridge Council pledged to ensure that families will continue to receive food vouchers during all school holidays between now and the end of March 2022.   

All those who received vouchers in the summer holidays and October half-term will now automatically receive their vouchers again for the upcoming festive period.

Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said:

“Redbridge was one of the first local authorities to step up during the pandemic to make sure local children continued to receive food throughout the school holidays, to prevent them from going hungry. As Christmas approaches, we recognise the plight that many of our families face and will again be giving food vouchers to those families eligible for free school meals to ensure no child goes hungry during the festive period.

“No one should have to go cold or hungry this winter. We will be working hard with our partners to make sure everyone has the support they need.”

The food vouchers are being funded by £2million that Redbridge Council has set aside, through the Household Support Fund (HSF), to support the Redbridge families and individuals most in need of extra support this winter.