Kids food scheme set to grow after 'crazy' support
The Grumpy Cook in Hastings is set to expand its scheme after receiving £30,000 in donations.
Barry Ashley, proprietor of The Grumpy Cook in Hastings, has announced that his complimentary food program for low-income families is poised for expansion, thanks to an "overwhelming" wave of support. The initiative, which provides meals for children from low-income households in East Sussex, is set to reach a greater number of families after securing £30,000 in global donations.
Ashley initiated the program during the summer holidays, offering food to schoolchildren, with costs covered by public contributions. Due to its success, he now plans to extend the service to weekends outside of school holidays and broaden its reach to other areas of East Sussex. An East Sussex County Council spokesperson affirmed that "support is available for any family in the county that needs it."
Ashley described the backing from donors, who hail from as far as New York, as "crazy." The scheme has also garnered support from other local food businesses. "If people genuinely want to help then let's do it and get the word out," he stated. "If I can get more places doing it then it will help even more people around East Sussex." The Grumpy Cook currently offers free meals, including cereal, to children throughout the summer holidays and aims to extend this to weekends.
Ashley confirmed receiving £10,000 in donations via a GoFundMe page for The Grumpy Cook, alongside £20,000 contributed through his personal website. He noted that donations have come from the local community and from as far afield as Australia and Manhattan.
Yolandi Taylor-Banks, who operates the Dot Cafe in Peacehaven and is exploring ways to assist in expanding Ashley's scheme, commented, "Barry has done an amazing job to support families on low income support, and we want to do the same. We just want everyone in our community to have access to a warm meal. Every small contribution makes a real difference to struggling families."
Discussions surrounding food support follow recent alterations to government assistance programs. The government's Household Support Fund was superseded by a new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) at the end of March.
In West Sussex, Kelvin Glen, chief executive of Horsham Matters, which provides support through 15 food banks in the area, reported a 94% increase in children requiring assistance this year compared to when voucher support was previously available. He explained, "We do always see an increase in support needed during the summer holidays. The withdrawal of the support has put on an extra burden, which indirectly means we have had to prepare and unlock more funding. A number of families have come back to us because they are struggling without that support they used to get." A West Sussex County Council spokesperson stated it was "working in partnership with a wide range of community-based organisations" to fulfill the new CRF objectives.
East Sussex County Council (ESCC) ceased providing summer holiday supermarket vouchers for families eligible for free school meals after the government scheme changes. This means eligible families no longer automatically receive food vouchers during the summer holidays. This change has drawn criticism from Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore. However, council leader Andy Woolley asserted that the new fund established by the council "would provide support to households experiencing immediate financial hardship and to help build longer-term financial resilience, rather than providing universal holiday food vouchers to all families eligible for free school meals." Councils nationwide have implemented similar initiatives.
An ESCC spokesperson indicated that £7.3 million will be allocated over the next year to support residents facing financial hardship, encompassing debt advice services, community food support, the expansion of holiday clubs with meals, and assistance for households with essential needs like food and utilities.
A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions clarified that the CRF guidance "makes clear councils can use vouchers to support families with children on free school meals during the holidays and we have written to local authorities to confirm this." They added, "Authorities have the discretion to design their own schemes, within the CRF guidance, to ensure the poorest children do not go hungry."