Churches across the Diocese of Chester have been stepping up to provide food and fun this summer. Find out how we're 'Filling the Gap' with charity, Transforming Lives Together.
During the summer holidays, a network of churches are 'Filling the Gap' by delivering food and activities supported by the charity, Transforming Lives Together (TLT), enabling children and families to play and eat healthy food.
All families are welcome at Filling the Gap sessions but a special effort is made to include families with children in receipt of free school meals.
Wendy Robertson from TLT explains: “The Feeding Britain campaign has reported on the detrimental effect of hunger on educational development with children in poorer areas seeing their spelling skills decline or stagnate over the summer holidays, taking weeks to make up the learning loss the following term.
However, Filling the Gap does not only support families with food provision. Parents can spend time playing with their children in a safe environment or building relationships with other parents. Children can return to school after the holidays with tales of all the activities they have been involved in, rather than feeling excluded because they cannot join in with other children’s holiday experiences.”
St Thomas’s Church, Stockton Heath have been running sessions every Tuesday lunchtime. Organiser, Sue Burke said: “We very often get people coming to the fun lunches that we've never met before. So it's a really good opportunity for mission and fellowship."
TLT provides a resource pack downloadable from the charity’s website with information on safeguarding, food hygiene, risk assessment and ideas for activities. As well as providing a resource pack and funding, TLT also supports churches throughout the year with additional guidance and information including free training such as Mental Health First Aid and Food Safety
Visit Transforming Lives Together