ALMOST 10,000 children will be helped with the cost of providing meals during the school summer holidays thanks to almost £2m in funding. 

Cumberland Council has allocated £1.9m from Household Support funding to ensure that every young person who is eligible for a free school meal during term-time can continue to receive help with the cost of a meal during the holidays.

Household Support funding is distributed to local authorities to establish schemes to provide support for those households most in need, helping those people to cope with the effects of the rising cost of living.

Addressing the issue of rising costs and the challenges faced by families in the area, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Governance and Thriving Communities Lisa Brown, expressed the council's commitment to prioritise the health and wellbeing of the community, particularly its young members.

"Many families are continuing to experience financial strain and face difficult choices as costs continue to rise. 

"With nearly 10,000 children in Cumberland eligible for free school meals, we are determined that no child should go without access to nutritious food.

"The health and wellbeing of our communities is our core priority, so I’m pleased that Cumberland Council has set aside £1.9 million from the government’s Household Support Fund to ensure every child who needs free school meals can also receive help with the cost of a meal during the holidays. 

"Each eligible child will receive a voucher worth £3.45 per week day to use on healthy food – much needed support for those households most in need.

"This supports our Right to Food pledge – that everyone in Cumberland has a right to healthy nutritious food," she said. 

A Right to Food means that food should not only be available and accessible, it should also be adequate and nutritious.

The policy is designed to put health and well-being first in decision-making.

Similarly, families in Westmorland & Furness will have the pressure taken off following £1.1m of similar funding. 

Around 5,200 children in Westmorland and Furness will be eligible to receive vouchers under the scheme.