The Food for Children project expands

The Food For Children Totnes CIC – has now been re-named Food For Children Devon CIC reflecting the expansion of the need to provide food to children in financially stretched circumstances.

After starting in Totnes, they now supply 15 schools equalling 210 children supported during the school holidays. Susie Watt and project founder Jo Yeo, packed over 600 bags for this Summer Holiday. The schools now go as far as Ivybridge, Thurlestone, Salcombe etc. back up to the three Totnes Schools, hence, the re-naming as the area stretches way beyond Totnes and its surrounding areas.

Susie Watt told the Pulse that they have approached Berry Pomeroy School who although they have 7 low income families registered, have not engaged with the project saying “our only concern is that there are many struggling families out there who may need our help.”

They are working to change the status from a CIC to a Charity to widen the opportunity to attract more funding and donations as was discussed at thier AGM in November 2024 in front of members of the Public and Town Cllrs. As was the case last year, the AGM will be a fundraising party in the Seven Stars Ballroom with a dinner featuring live music from Jazzient and Joey the Lips. Ticket donation will be £35 minimum – all ticket donations go to the CIC to fund the mealkits.

As the service has expanded, so has the need for volunteers to help out, specifically to help pack the mealkits six times year just before each School Holiday and Half Terms, they are also hoping to find delivery drivers for Ivybridge across to Thurlestone.

The group have found it difficult nogotiating the security processes of schools to advise of the project to help struggling families to create more awareness within the local primary schools. Susie and Jo met with MP, Caroline Voaden back in February and she offered to write to schools on their behalf. After follow up calls, Food for Children ramped up from 3 schools in February to 15 today. Susie explains there are 35 schools in the South Hams, so there are still 20 not engaged.

That a charitable solution is needed to support children of people in poverty is a damning reflection of government failure… A statement from Food for Children states: “The Government should recognise and put in place Acts of Parliament that protect and ensure that the Children of this Country have access to good nutritional food not just during the school term but the holidays too and that the issue of a £15 voucher is not sufficient to cover the food increases which already struggling families are having to deal with.“

It continues: “It should support organisations such as ourselves and promote them widely so that all know there is help out there. They should encourage business to support and offer discounted options – which is a bit of a double-edged sword, as we realise that business is struggling because of the tax and NI burdens being placed on them which in turn stop them from helping orgnaisations such as ourselves – we shouldn’t need to exist“