Portsmouth and Hampshire businesses and individuals step up to feed the county's children

Hundreds backed Marcus Rashford’s call for free school meals over the holidays, after the government voted not to extend the scheme, and instead today started providing lunch bags and hot meals from their own kitchens with donations out of their own pockets.

Mum-of-one Stephanie Hobbs from Clanfield has been left ‘overwhelmed’ by the support her community has given her after she starting putting bags of food outside her house for people to take so they could make lunches for the week.

The 37-year-old said: ‘I am a mum so I do wake up and have worries for my kid but I have never woken up worried if I am able to feed them or woken up hungry because I had to make a decision on who in my family could eat the night before.

‘I think this has really opened people’s eyes to the reality of it all, mine included. I never thought about what families with children who get free school meals do over the holidays.

‘I put out six bags initially and I thought maybe a couple would be taken but I have had so many messages with people donating more so that I can do more bags and it just shows you that people are fundamentally good and want to help each other.’

Chris Vaux at The Lord John Russell, in Southsea, has teamed up with Pompey in the Community and is providing lunch bags from 11am until 1pm during the half term.

Chris said: ‘I don’t think that voting on whether children go hungry is right,

‘The reasons behind parents not being able to feed their kids at this time aren’t relevant.

‘The fact is that we have the ability to solve this in the short term. We are happy to help in our community.’

Former Pompey footballer Christian Burgess sent a video message to encourage people in need to take advantage of all the offers of help from businesses, charities and individuals.

He said: ‘If you need the help please do not hesitate to get in touch with the businesses and take them up on their offers.

‘Portsmouth has such a great community feel and it is so great to see everybody coming together and helping out during hard times. It is what the city is all about.’

Dr Catherine Carroll-Meehan from the University of Portsmouth said the pandemic has highlighted the inequalities already existing in the UK.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth free meal group set up after government vote down free school holiday meals

She said: ‘Low-income families are struggling to feed children and themselves. They are not dependent on the state, contrary to the comments made by many MPs in the debate last week. Children need to eat well otherwise, we put them at risk in terms of their development - physically, emotionally and cognitively.

‘The continued Government funding of MPs meals at £25 per day in contrast to funding children £15 per week seems to be grossly unfair.

‘The community, charities and ordinary people are doing more work than the government. Local government responses around the country are not consistent.

‘Maslow's hierarchy of needs puts physiological needs such as food, water, warmth and rest as being fundamental to human needs. For many children in low-income or supported by benefits, going into this winter, they will live in cold, damp homes and not have enough food.

‘This is problematic for schools and wider society and will prevent children from feeling safe and secure, valued and like they are cared for.’

To donate to Pompey in the Community visit justgiving.com/pitc?fbclid=IwAR2juIfU87qwMmit4nNVdIvYxL3sxSGZKH30OWh0FiHxaC-pgnYKVtBQXQ0