Chesterfield mother sets up information page to help parents find businesses offering free school meals

Katie Allen, 30, who works as a kitchen assistant at cafe, Coffee Street, established Chesterfield Children’s Lunch Squad alongside her partner, Jack, his mother, Pauline and her sister, Nichola on Friday, October 23.

It comes after MPs voted down Labour’s bid to feed more than 1.4 million children during school holidays by extending the free meals vouchers until Easter next year.

In response, businesses up and down the country have come together to offer free meals for those under 16 during half term – despite the hospitality industry struggling to survive in the current Covid-19 climate.

The 30-year-old mother who lives near Newbold set up the community support page, which has a complied list of the organisations in the town giving children free meals this week

and where they are, to help parents finding it difficult to make ends meet.

A total of 25 businesses in Chesterfield have decided to provide children under 16-years-old with a hot or cold free meal during half term, to ensure no child goes hungry while school is shut for the remainder of this week.

Katie, who previously used food banks when she became a single parent, set up a donation page to thank the organisations who have offered to give meals away for free and help them fund the cost of the free dinners.

The kitchen assistant has already raised £2,160 to assist local businesses who are already struggling due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis but are still providing free meals to stop children going hungry in the school holidays.

"I know how easily you can go from not needing food banks to needing it”, Katie said.

"I am also aware that you can feel quite ashamed that you need to use that service but at the minute there are just so many families out there that have found themselves in situations they never expected to that I just wanted to help.

"I work in hospitality as well and I know that businesses are struggling too so I wanted to help them and the families that needed it.”

Katie’s crowdfund will help support seven or eight different businesses across the town who are providing free school meals this week, with the remaining money going towards food charities.

She originally set herself a target to raise £500 to support Chesterfield’s organisations that are giving back, but has since increased the amount to £3,000 after she was shocked by residents and their generosity.

The 30-year-old explained why a support page like Chesterfield Children’s Lunch Squad, which compiles a list of all of the town’s offerings to help struggling families is needed.

"Chesterfield is a fairly large area and if you are on low income and live in Tupton then you aren't going to want to go to town centre to go and fetch some lunch because obviously there is a cost involved, so we have tried to make it clear what is the closest place where they can get support”, Katie added.

To donate to the Chesterfield Children’s Lunch Squad fundraising page, click here.

Derbyshire school reassures parents after three Covid-19 cases in just over a week

Derbyshire shopping destination 'closes for good' amid pandemic

Everything you need to know about support for businesses in Tier 2

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.