School holidays are one of the busiest times for our food bank, as families lose access to free school meals for a week at a time. During the October half term our Teignmouth collection point saw a noticeable rise in referrals from local schools.
Volunteers put together extra parcels in advance, including items aimed at keeping children fed and occupied, such as cereal, tinned fruit and simple activity packs donated by a local toy shop. Several supporters also donated extra tins specifically for the holiday period.
The response showed how quickly the local community responds when a need is made clear. We are now looking at whether a small holiday fund could help us prepare for half terms and the summer break more consistently in future.