CORE Education Trust is offering £75 food vouchers to support families over the summer, as parents face rising living costs and concerns about providing for their children.
Several schools in Birmingham are providing free food vouchers during the summer holidays to support families struggling with the rising cost of living. CORE Education Trust, which oversees Arena Academy, City Academy, Jewellery Quarter Academy, and Rockwood Academy, is offering £75 vouchers to students eligible for free school meals. These vouchers, accessible online via Edenred, can be used at various supermarkets, offering flexibility for families on how and when they purchase food.
Jo Tyler, CEO of CORE Education Trust, stated that this initiative aims to alleviate some worries for parents and carers over the long summer break. The initiative currently aids 1,300 students across these schools.
In related news, Action for Children reports that over half of parents in the North East are unable to afford a summer holiday this year, with a quarter concerned about providing three meals a day for their children. MPs from the region have called for policy changes, including the removal of the two-child benefit cap, to better support families. The government has announced a task force to develop a child poverty strategy, though financial constraints currently prevent the abolition of the cap.