Hundreds of Leicestershire families in need of extra support will receive a helping hand this Christmas.
Food hampers, toys, food vouchers and activities have been organised by Leicestershire County Council’s Targeted Family Help service.
Donations from local businesses and organisations – including £10,000 worth of food vouchers from Hinckley Foodbank – have helped make the mammoth effort possible.
"There has been an amazing effort from so many people to make Christmas brighter for many families this year and we can’t thank everyone involved enough.
“The reality is that with the cost of living and other pressures, Christmas can be a tough time for many people. We hope this will go some way to help.”
Person:Cllr Deborah Taylor, lead member for children and families
In Charnwood the service expects to provide around 40 hampers containing three days of three-meals-a-day for a family.
In North-West Leicestershire around 30 hampers will be distributed, as well as toys for approximately 50 children.
The Community fridge will be running December 30 and 31 and January 2 and 3.
In Blaby and Oadby & Wigston at least 60 families will receive hampers with food and festive treats & the children will receive a toy each.
In Melton and Harborough that number is expected to be around 50, and will include info on support, family activities and recipes for leftovers. Platform Housing has also donated 180 presents, which been wrapped by staff and volunteers.
In Hinckley and Bosworth, the service anticipates that up to 500 children will receive toys donated through its annual toy appeal, as well as the £10,000 worth of food bank vouchers. An additional 40 children will get food parcels plus recipe cards and activities for them and their families.
As well as this, a variety of festive events, including discos and craft sessions, have been organised for families working with the service and funded by the government’s Holiday Activity Fund (HAF).
The authority has opened up its wider Government-funded £3.6m Household Support Fund, enabling eligible households to apply for an average of £200 for food and energy costs.
Under the scheme, more than 19,000 children will receive a £15 food voucher during holiday and food banks across Leicestershire will receive £200,000 to support with purchasing food and white goods.
The council is also is using a slice of its Government-funded Household Support Fund to help Age UK. This means the charity can help more pensioners check if they’re eligible for pension credit and complete the application process.
Information about support with the cost of living
- The Family Help Service runs Family Hubs across Leicestershire. These are a one-stop shop which offer advice, information and resources to help families navigate every stage of life; from pregnancy right through to young adulthood.