Food For London Now: Parents given vital food by schools

Shortly before 11am, a queue of parents and pupils formed outside Hambrough Primary School in Southall. The families were waiting to pick up their weekly Felix Project food parcels — including fresh smoothies, rice puddings, vegetables and snacks.

Within three minutes of the gates opening, all 30-plus parcels had gone. Headteacher Louise Singleton had to turn desperate parents away, telling them: “I’m sorry, we’re all out, come back next Thursday.”

Afterwards, she said: “There is such a need for basic supplies amongst this community. It is heartbreaking to turn people away.”

Mrs Singleton, who has led the school since 2009, is one of 30 London headteachers keeping their gates open to host a Felix Project Summer School Programme.

The holidays often put financial strain on London’s poorest families, many of whom rely on a daily free school meal to feed their children.

This year, for many, the financial situation is worse because of the pandemic. The Felix Project is also delivering to 49 charities or holiday programmes, meaning that at least 17,500 meals a week will be given out this summer.

The food and meals are often — but not always — in addition to the Government’s Covid Summer Food Fund where children eligible for benefits-related free school meals can claim food vouchers for the six-week holiday period.

At Hambrough Primary, which has about 420 pupils, Mrs Singleton said parents were “very appreciative” of the parcels. “It has been tough for a lot of families around here. Many work cash- in-hand jobs or lost their jobs, and many don’t qualify for government support.”

Hemina Dis, 41, who has a son and daughter at the school, said living through the pandemic “has been difficult”. “My husband is a chef and so work has been on and off. We appreciate these packages. My kids love the smoothies.”

Mrs Singleton said she opted to stay open to support the community both with food and pastoral care. “Families come in every week and we make sure they are okay. If it wasn’t for this scheme, we wouldn’t know if families were struggling. We help with counselling services or emergency funds. It goes way beyond coming in for a bag of food.”

Another family benefiting from a summer school programme is that of Victoria Kweidhusa, 46, who has two children, Seamus, 12, and Siobhan, five.

The law student from Edmonton receives twice-weekly food parcels and ready-prepared meals from the Felix-supported charity Cooking Champions.

She said: “I didn’t know how I would cope. I am on benefits as I am studying full-time. I don’t have much money and the relief to know we will get food to get us through the week is huge. I am so grateful.”

Anne Elkins, schools programme manager at The Felix Project, said the holidays were a time when families can come under strain. “With the added pressure that Covid-19 has put on families whose parents are not earning, there is concern that children will struggle to access nutritional foods.”