TROLLEY-loads of food have been bought to provide essential summer food packs to hungry children this summer.

Just weeks into the school holidays, the North Lakes Foodbank has run out of the food for the Holiday Lunchpacks 4 kids scheme.

In a bid to help, Sellafield Ltd, which is backing the scheme, has paid for £1,000 worth of food to be used in the essential packs.

Alice Taylor, from the North Lakes Foodbank centre at New Life Church in Whitehaven, said: “It’s very valuable as we are going to need £28,000 worth of food for over the summer. We are very grateful for all the people who work alongside us. The £1,000 will have made a good contribution and the people who are using it are very appreciative.”

She said parents or carers who have primary school children who are entitled to free school meals can contact the North Lakes Foodbank in Cockermouth for more details about the summer lunch packs.

Nearly 300 families in Copeland and Allerdale are being given these foodpacks. The aim is to give families who are on a low income a weekly pack of food for their children during the summer holidays.

To run the scheme, the foodbank needs 17 tonnes of food, which is equal to £28,000.

Helen Fisher, head of socio-economics at Sellafield Ltd, said close to 300 families will be benefiting from the scheme.

She said: “We are really positive about this because there has been some research which shows that if kids get hot meals they engage when they are learning.”

She said Sellafield Ltd wants to help young people and their families in the area in need of the food packs, adding: “We believe we are really going to make a difference.”

Phil O’Connell, Tesco store manager, said the shop usually has two main campaigns for the North Lakes Foodbank each year. He said: “It’s great to see a donation this this being given to such a good cause. It will a long way to support the people who need it.”

The food pack scheme is being backed by CN Group, which publishes The Whitehaven News, and Sellafield Ltd.

How you can help...

The community can get involved in different ways. People can volunteer to pack the food parcels at its warehouse. 

Or they can also donate items from the scheme's specific shopping list. Green appeal bins are available at the following Copeland locations: Lakes College, Whitehaven: Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, New Life Church, Jacobs (West Lakes); Egremont: Co-op, Egremont Foodbank Centre, Cleator Moor Co-op and Lakes College.

Alternatively, people can also donate to the foodbank via its website. Money will go paying for the summer packs.

Contact the North Lakes foodbank at: info@thefoodbank.org.uk to volunteer or go to www.thefoodbank.org.uk to donate. Or phone 07502311452.

Holiday Lunchpacks 4 Kids shopping list: Tinned corned beef or ham; tinned fish; tinned macaroni cheese; tinned spaghetti hoops; tinned ravioli; tinned peas; tinned carrots; tinned sweetcorn; instant mash potato packets; cereal bar boxes