Richmond council has announced that it will provide vouchers to families whose children are normally in receipt of free school meals over the summer holidays.

The council has funded 3,800 vouchers for vulnerable families over the school holidays since October 2020 and this support will now continue into the summer.

The announcement comes after the Council received an additional £317,042 in Government funding to support vulnerable families affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Cllr Penny Frost, Chair of the Education and Children's Services Committee at Richmond Council, said: "The last 15 months have been really challenging for low income families, so I'm delighted that we are able to take some of the worry away from them by being able to provide vouchers to help cover the cost of feeding their children.

"While this is fantastic news for vulnerable families in hardship, we understand that the school holidays can be difficult for families on lower incomes.

"Therefore, I would remind those who need further support, they can apply for additional funding or help from one of our local partner organisations through our Coronavirus Winter Support Fund."

In addition to school holiday vouchers, grants will be awarded to local voluntary organisations to support residents struggling to afford food and other essentials.

Families who require additional assistance can apply for funding from one of the below:

Richmond Aid

Telephone: 020 8831 6070

Citizens Advice Richmond

Citizens Advice Richmond website