THERE has been a huge response to stopping half-term hunger in Herefordshire as pubs, shops and cafes hurried to organise free food for families in need.

Businesses across the county have put their plans into action this week as they offer to feed children who might struggle to eat this week, after the Government voted against a proposal for free school meals during half-term.

The Carrot and Wine shop in Wormelow said if children are entitled to free school meals they will discreetly provide families with all they need to make sandwiches during half-term week, free of charge.

They are just one of the businesses stepping up to support families in the county during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hereford Times:

Carrot and Wine Stores owner Gordon Miller and manager Ella Davies are among the people and businesses giving free meals to children this half-term

Store owner Gordon Miller, 37, said: “It’s not political, I don’t want to be drawn into the right and wrongs conversation about whether it should be done or not by the Government.

“We are in the middle of unprecedented and very hard times for a lot of people. There’s no immediate end in sight and if anything it’s potentially getting worse.

“There’s always people struggling one way or another, but there’s people struggling on multiple fronts now. Children are having their lives disrupted beyond all belief. I’ve got young children of my own and you ask them to wear a mask and they wear a mask, they don’t question it.

“They’re completely innocent in all of this that’s going on, but those in families who are really struggling to make ends meet, or just don’t know where the next meal is coming from, if we can help them we will.”

The news comes after Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford called on the Government to provide free school meals during the holidays.

Marcus Rashford’s petition to end child food poverty led to a motion put down by Labour that was defeated by 322 votes to 261 last week.

In response, Hereford’s La Madeleine cafe also promised to support any families who might struggle this week.

In Herefordshire’s constituencies, 2,770 children were eligible for free schools meals in the last school year, the latest Department for Education figures show, and the cafe’s owner Ed Pitts wanted to do his bit to help.

Hereford Times:

La Madeleine owner Ed Pitts

Mr Pitts, who runs the family business in Church Street with his wife Ellen and mum Jan, said his offering wasn’t a political stunt, but he just wanted to help some of the people who might be struggling due to the pandemic.

“I think it’s such an important campaign,”Mr Pitts, 36 from Hereford, added.

“We’ve recently started doing the catering for Hereford College of Arts, so day-to-day I give out free school meals there as part of the scheme, so I can see how many people receive it up here.

“That brought it home even more how important it was. I took the decision at the end of the week that I wanted to do something and I knew it wasn’t going to cost us too much.”

In Madley, the Red Lion Inn also responded quickly to offer support. Kelli Dore, who has worked at the pub for the last 12 months, said the management didn’t take long to make the decision as they just wanted to support children living in poverty.

Hereford Times:

Owner of The Red Lion Inn Mandy Turner

“You wouldn’t think it’s there in this day and age, but it is unfortunately,” Kelli Dore, 38, said.

“It was a no-brainer, if we can do it and help someone in the Madley area or the surrounding area then that’s great.”

All week the pub has been offering free packed lunches to children, no questions asked Herefordshire Council also pledged to provide funding through their #TalkCommunity programme for local families who get free school meals. This was being organised through The Living Room in Hereford’s Commercial Road.