We hope you’re all safe and well and are able to find time for a bit of rest over the summer. This month we released the findings from our 2020/21 research into children’s food insecurity in Shropshire, full details below along with updates on other things we’ve been working on and the usual links to news and resources we think are useful or relevant to our network.
SFPA updates
Take action for children’s food insecurity in Shropshire
Between October 2020 and January 2021, the Alliance undertook a piece of research to better under the issue of children’s food insecurity in the county. We surveyed 41 school and 56 other organisations across Shropshire to gain a clearer picture of how food insecurity is impacting children and what could be done locally to help address the issue. From the research it became clear that the issue of children’s food insecurity is one which concerns many people in Shropshire, with 73% of schools, and 53% of organisations surveyed by the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance reporting being concerned that there may be children going hungry because there is not enough food in the house. We are urging people to come to a workshop in October to take action.
Get involved
Please sign up for the free online workshop: “Child food insecurity in Shropshire: Working together to find solutions’, Wednesday 6th October 2021 4pm-5.30pm. You can register for you free ticket here.
You can read the full report and find out more about the research on our website.
Cash first solutions to food insecurity- a new leaflet for Shropshire
We’re very excited that a new ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet which has been co-produced by the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance, local stakeholders and the Independent Food Aid Network is now ready!
The 'Worrying About Money?' leaflets are straightforward resources for people facing financial crisis, and anyone supporting them, to quickly see available advice and cash first support options and which agencies are best placed to help. The aim of this project to reduce the need for emergency food aid by helping people access any existing financial entitlements and advice on income maximisation as a cash first response to food insecurity.
More information on the project can be found here. If you would like hard copies of the leaflet, please contact sophie@shrewsburyfoodhub.org.uk.
Shropshire updates
Support available over the summer holidays in Shropshire
· Free school meals will be available in Shropshire over the summer holidays- The Government has announced a further and final extension of the COVID-19 Local Support Grant for vulnerable families. In Shropshire the funding will (amongst other things) enable eligible children to receive free school meals during the school summer holidays. For full details visit the Shropshire Council website.
· Holiday Activities and Food programme Shropshire- The HAF programme is now underway. You can access the timetable of events here.
Shropshire Council are encouraging people to take 2 lateral flow tests every week
For more information and where to get tests visit their website.