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Petroc tackles food poverty over half term

Local businesses in Mid and Northern Devon have responded with impressive generosity in coming forward to offer free school meals to children over half term.

At Petroc we have seen our young learners struggling to make ends meet, as unemployment and the economic recession have hit our local communities. It is often forgotten that 16-18 year old learners face issues of deprivation too and require support for free meals so they don’t go hungry.

Without decent meals to sustain them, our young people’s learning is greatly affected, when covid has already made it difficult enough. Petroc has therefore taken the unprecedented step to extend free college meal payments over the holiday period for October half term.

The Prime Minister has said that a more permanent solution will be put in place by the Christmas holidays, but our learners are in need of support now and we have found funds to offer this help. We hope that FE learners will be included in whatever solution the Government puts in place to address food poverty for the future.

If you are entitled to free meals you will receive this payment automatically; if there are any queries, please contact the Advice and Guidance Team at guidancecentre@petroc.ac.uk or telephone 01271 852422.

Published

20 October 2020

Category

College news

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