Children who are in receipt of means-tested free school meals will be provided with a supermarket voucher for each week of the summer holidays, after the Government confirmed funding would be made available.

The vouchers have been funded by the Covid Support Grant and supplemented by the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund to ensure every eligible child in the borough will have access to a healthy, nutritious meal every day throughout the school break.

Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods, said: “This news will be welcomed by families in Knowsley who may otherwise have struggled during the summer holidays. We are unsure whether the Government will continue to fund free school meal vouchers beyond this summer so we will just have to wait on further updates to hear what measures will be put in place in the future to support those most in need.”

Cllr Margaret Harvey, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “I’m delighted that every child in the borough will have access to healthy, nutritious meals throughout the summer holidays. By supplementing the Government funding with the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund the Council has ensured no child will go without this summer. Whatever the Government decides to do in the future the Council will continue to look at ways to support our most deprived residents.”

Eligible children and young people in Knowsley will also be able to access free, fun activities this summer as part of the HAF