Together for Children Sunderland looks to tackle holiday hunger and cost of living crisis with summer activity programme

Sunderland Echo

Disadvantaged children across the city have been benefiting from the Holiday and Food Programme.

Transcript

00:00Okay and Wendy can you just give an overview of what sort of things the kids are going

00:19to be doing during these sessions over the summer holidays then?

00:22So during our sessions we do a range of enrichment activities including arts and crafts, board

00:27games, sports, group games, outdoor play, healthy eating, so we do a lot of activities

00:36around educating children about healthy food, they eat well, plate, portion sizes and we

00:44play a game with sugar cubes so teaching children the sugar content of foods.

00:52And just how important is it that children remain fit and healthy and active over the

00:55six week summer period?

00:57So over our sessions we do a minimum of 90 minutes physical activity within each camp

01:03so that will range from dodge ball, football, hula hooping, group games like duck duck goose,

01:10hot potato and it's really important to keep them physical and keep them moving.

01:16And you mentioned also there's no electronics and that sort of thing here for the kids to

01:19go on, how important is it that we get children interacting as well?

01:24I think it's really important that children learn social skills, team building, also independent

01:32working as well but it is so important that they're integrating in society so it enables

01:38them to be like good citizens in the future.

01:45Another key aspect of the programme to us running across the city is obviously kids

01:49who are on free school meals being able to get access to a nutritious meal over the summer

01:54period so obviously for together for children how important is it that service continues

01:58over the summer?

01:59That's really important, obviously we know the cost of living has gone up and the cost

02:04of food has risen, obviously families are struggling and it's really important that

02:09those young people who would normally get meals during school time because they're on

02:13free school meals it's important that they still have an access to meals during the summer

02:18holidays, obviously it's a long period of time to go so if they're being active and

02:23they're having fun, they're enjoying themselves, they're being children and also getting a

02:31nutritious healthy meal every day, that really counts.

02:35Okay then Jacob, what are some of the activities you've been doing in these sessions?

02:40Football.

02:41What else?

02:42Drawing.

02:43Some arts and crafts as well?

02:45Yeah.

02:46Okay and Leah, how important is it that you stay fit and healthy and active over the summer?

02:49If you're not active you'll just be in the house all day doing nothing but it's really

02:53important you are healthy and you do exercises because you'll be able to run more, do more

02:59stuff if you're exercising instead of just sitting in the house all day watching your phone.

03:04And Ernie, how much have you enjoyed it?

03:06A lot.

03:09What's been the best bit?

03:10What have you enjoyed most?

03:11Football.

03:12I thought you were going to say that.

03:16Football.

03:17Football.

03:18Football.

03:19Football.

03:20Football.

03:22Boys!

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