THREE High Street Group venues in the North East are supporting families in the region by offering free lunches during half term.

The hotels and restaurants in South Shields, Teesside and County Durham are getting behind footballer Marcus Rashford’s free school meal campaign and joining venues across the UK by providing families with free lunches this week.

Between Monday 26 (yesterday) and Friday (October 30) the Sea Hotel in South Shields, the Parkmore Hotel in Yarm and Rustica restaurant in Stanley, are offering free meals for families with children between 12pm and 2pm.

Each day there will be a choice of two different meal options, which are available for children who receive free school meals during term-time.

Families can book an hour slot for their meal, which they can enjoy in Covid-safe environments with all safety procedures in place.

Families can book a table by calling the Sea Hotel on 0191 427 0999, Parkmore Hotel on 01642 786 815 or the Rustica on 01207 263 791.

Gary Forrest, Chairman of The High Street Group: “This is a really challenging time for some families so until the government changes its mind we want to help where we can. We are totally behind Marcus Rashford’s campaign and believe that no child should go hungry. We’re looking forward to welcoming families into our venues this week so they can enjoy a nice meal in a safe and welcoming environment.”