As thousands of children across the region begin their summer break, for many it will mean the prospect of holiday hunger. Gavin Engelbrecht reports.

THE SOUND of children’s laughter echoing around the small community centre rings with unrestrained happiness. They are clearly enjoying the summer programme of activities and the prospect of a long summer break from the classroom.

But the glee of the children at Murton’s Community Club masks a real problem taking insidious hold across the region – that of holiday hunger. For many of the children attending the summer programme would it not be getting a square meal were it not for the food provided as part of their 50p session. Indeed, when the children were asked to name their brunch club, they settled on calling it Hungry Holidays.

Single mother Jane (not her real name) says: “I have just started a part-time job.

“Once I have paid my bills, I only have about £30-£40 a week left for food for myself and my daughter.

“My daughter does not qualify for free school meals, because I am just over the threshold and give her a packed lunch during the term.

“But it is a real struggle to feed her during the holidays. When I was on the dole it was even worse. Bringing her to the club makes a real difference.”

Jane’s story is typical of many parents who bring their children to the club at Macrae House.

Centre manager Alison Fahey says: “We get many children who would go hungry if they didn’t come to the summer programme.

“All the children who come here to pay 50p a session and get a lunch as well. Murton has high unemployment levels and is high on the deprivation index.

“Many parents, some who have four to five children, would get the cheapest options when it comes to food, which is also unhealthy.”

She adds: “When we asked the children what they wanted to call their brunch club, they said they wanted to call it Hungry Holidays - not just because they are hungry for fun, but for food as well.”

The Murton programme of activities is one of 14 supported by the East Durham Area Action Partnership (AAP).

AAP co-ordinator Shelagh Pearce says: “We run summer programmes in communities through the voluntary sector.

“But we had reported back that some of the money for activities had to be diverted for food. We commissioned research, not just on access to healthy food, but on food poverty as well, realising that young and elderly people are most at risk.

“The research showed holiday hunger is a real problem for families who normally qualify for free school meals. And it’s not just people who are on benefits who are struggling. It’s people on low incomes, zero-hour contracts and agency contracts, who are also feeling the pinch when they have kids off school.

“They have limited budgets they manage during term time, but it has a huge impact on them during the holidays. It is quite significant in some areas.”

Durham County Council has provided free school meals to more than 13,000 people since January – 8,257 too primary school children, 655 in special schools and 4,257 in secondary schools. The council also provides free school meals for all Key Stage 1 and 2 (infant) pupils.

The board of the East Durham AAP has set aside £40,000 from its budget for activities this summer. Recognising that holiday hunger is a priority, the AAP has made provision within that budget for “healthy and nourishing” food.

Elsewhere, the County Durham Foodbank has found that since it opened in 2011 the number of children receiving food parcels from the foodbank has consistently been 12 to 15 per cent higher in the summer holidays than the average across the year.

County Durham Foodbank distribution manager Stuart Hudson is this year spearheading a pilot project to offer free school meals for children during the summer holidays.

Stuart says: “We will be providing free food to all children up to the age of 16 years old. The parents who bring them will get a free cuppa, while those with vouchers will also be entitled to free food.”

He adds: “We have decided to use some of the emergency food that we have and go straight to the community with it. Hopefully, by doing that they won’t have to use the foodbank as much. It also puts us at ease knowing that some young people, whose parents may struggle feeding them over the six weeks can have that further relief. “

And as long as the safety net is there, it will help ensure the sound of children’s laughter will continue to echo at summer activity programmes across the region.