Top local businesses have joined the fight to ensure no child goes hungry in Hammersmith & Fulham.
Restaurants Pho and Kricket London, as well as publishing giant Immediate Media, have stepped up to the challenge during this half term break by providing free meals to local young people in need.
It follows H&F Council’s decision to step in and give every pupil in need free meal vouchers for the October half term. We’re also delivering school breakfasts to 600 local pupils every morning who are most in need of help.
The borough has approximately 5,000 primary and secondary pupils eligible for free school meals - or 24% of all local pupils. This is far above the national average of 15%, and the demand for free school meals continues to rise.
“We’re hugely grateful to the local businesses which are helping to ensure no child goes hungry in our borough,” said Cllr Andrew Jones, H&F Cabinet Member for the Economy.
“This is a particularly tough time for businesses due to the pandemic - but acts of kindness like this go to show the fantastic community spirit we have in H&F.”
If your family is in crisis this half term, you can also call our Community Aid Network hotline on freephone 0800 145 6095 or email can@lbhf.gov.uk
Half term free meals
The businesses providing free meals this half term are:
Pho in Westfield London, Shepherds Bush W12
The White City-based Vietnamese restaurant is providing 50 lunches per day which are being distributed by the charity Solidarity Sports.
Pho founder, Juliette Wall, said: “We are happy to help and hope our donation makes a difference as a short-term solution during half term.”
Immediate Media, Brook Green W6
The publishing giant is offering packed lunches, which are available from 11.30am to 2.30am every day throughout the half term.
Kricket London, Wood Lane W12
The White City branch of Indian restaurant Kricket London has been cooking meals for the local community throughout the pandemic, and is now raising funds to distribute more meals for children over the winter months. Make a donation to Kricket London.
What we’re doing to fight poverty in H&F
Here are some of the other things H&F Council is doing to fight poverty in the borough:
The independent H&F Poverty and Worklessness Commission was set up to find the causes of poverty in the borough, and to develop bold new ways of tackling this.
Hammersmith & Fulham Foodbank provides help and support to those in need in the borough. That includes emergency food parcels, and advice or referrals to other organisations to help families in food poverty. The Foodbank receives funding from H&F Council.
Rose Vouchers is a scheme to help people on low incomes to get fresh fruit and vegetables from local traders. It also shares tips on healthy eating.
WorkZone is a dedicated service helping people to secure jobs. The team helps jobseekers gain the right skills and qualifications needed and valued by employers and offers jobseekers a clear advantage in their search for employment.
Our goal is for there to be nobody sleeping rough in our borough. The independent H&F Rough Sleeping Commission was established to help meet this vision by developing ground-breaking new policies in this area.
Hundreds of new homes are being built, and many more improved, for local people. We are presently delivering more genuinely affordable homes, to rent and to buy, than at any point in a decade.
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