Football Foundations team up to tackle child hunger in Peterborough this Christmas holidays

Posh Foundation Community Manager, Gavin Slater (right) delivering food parcels during October half term

THe Posh Foundation stepped in last month to help after the government rejected footballer Marcus Rashford’s proposals to extend the free school meal programme throughout the half term holidays. In response, the Posh Foundation, like many organisations, stepped up and distributed over 150 food parcels to children across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.

Peterborough United Foundation donate food parcels to children affected by free school meals vote

This December they would like to continue their support and are appealing for donations to help provide approximately 400 children with food packages.

The club works closely with many local schools organising coaching, fun days and during the pandemic, virtual assemblies, giving children a chance to interact with some of the club’s players.

Their help will be just as vital as ever as it is estimated that up to three million children across the UK are at risk of going hungry during the school holidays, with the number set to increase as the effects of Covid-19 takes its toll on family’s finances, through job losses or furlough.

To help Posh in this venture, the Free Kicks Foundation have promised to match the first £1500 raised. The charity usually provide disadvantaged children with once in a lifetime experiences at football matches, typically mascot packages, but due to Covid, are switching their attention to helping the Posh foundation tackle hunger.

Co-Founder Steve Thorpe said: “As we can’t currently do our normal work of taking children to matches, we wanted to do something to finish 2020 on a good note.

“Following Marcus Rashford’s brilliant campaign to arrange free school meals during October half term, we approached The Posh Foundation to work together to provide meals for deserving children in Peterborough.”

Peterborough United Foundations Community Manager, Gavin Slater, added: “The response from the public, our schools and some of the recipients from our October food parcel delivery was incredible.

“We want to increase our impact and deliver more food parcels for the Christmas Holidays. We have identified 400 children that we want to help this Christmas, and with them being off school for two weeks, we are asking for the public’s generous support in being able to add more items to their food parcels.”

To donate you can visit either the Posh Foundation JustGiving page at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/puffoodpackages or the Free Kicks page at justgiving.com/fundraising/freeschoolmealspeterborough.

To find out more about the Free Kicks Foundation, click here.