End Child Food Poverty GM

Please use this page:

- to find out where to get meals for children whose families are struggling over half term.
- to find out which businesses are supporting children in your community. If you can, please support these businesses too. Hospitality is struggling but they are still stepping up to help.
- to find out where to donate funds to ensure no children in our region go hungry.
- to find out if you MP voted to feed children in the holidays, and how to contact them.

There is no shame in struggling, and no shame in wanting to feed your children.

Spot an error or know a place we have missed? Use the #EndChildFoodPovertyGM to let us know.

BOLTON

  • Bolton Council announced that they are NOT doing a specific scheme for the half-term holidays. They have said to contact their COVID helpline on 01204 337221. Find your councillor here to ask for a specific scheme.

  • Bolton Whites Hotel, BL6 6SF - any children entitled to free school meals in Bolton during half-term. Call 01204673610.

  • Baker's Tea Room, Egerton, BL7 9SN - free grab bags for all children on free school meal's during half-term ready at 12noon each day. Please call 01204 306266.

  • Flounders Fish & Chips, Blackrod, BL6, 5EG - free hot meal (chips and a small sausage or chips and a side) for children under the age of 15. Available Monday - Friday 12noon - 1:30pm. Message the page beforehand (click on the name).

  • Basic Kneads, Market Place, Bolton, BL1 2AE - children eat free from the kids menu when you bring an adult. No purchases necessary and served 12-1pm.

  • - Tuck In, Westhoughton, BL5 3BX - lunch bags available to those who will struggle during half-term.

  • ROSA, Westhoughton, BL5 3JD - order kids meals by texting your child's name, school, home address and any allergies to 07377357136. Three meals delivered on Monday, and three on Thursday. Horse Box Food Bank will be parked outside ROSA 12noon-10pm, filled with essential school items.

  • The Kitchen, Westhoughton, BL5 3AA - Packed lunch available to collect from 12pm, just turn up to collect.

BURY

  • Bury Council HAVE announced a scheme. £15 vouchers will be distributed from Monday 26th October. If you are eligible for free school meals, call 0161 253 5858.

  • Food Foundry, Walmersley, Bury, BL9 6SQ - offering a ham or cheese sandwich with a piece of fruit. Message on the link or call 0161 637 3560 to pre-order.

  • The Village Bistro, Greenmount, Bury, BL8 4DD - providing pizza, salad, garlic bread, chips and juice Wednesday 28th October and Friday 29th October 1pm - 2:30pm. Providing a breakfast club (cereals, toast, hot drink and juice) Thursday 29th 10am - 11:30am. Please message their Facebook page (link is the name above) to book a table.

  • Ramsbottom Social, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 9HX - running a breakfast club 10am - 12noon Wednesday 18th - Sunday 1st. Options are toast, crumpets, condiments, cereal, beans or cheese on toast, fresh fruit, fresh juices, tea and coffee.

  • The Coffee Sack, Prestwich, Bury, M25 0PD - free kids meals in the cafe, or call 0161 773 2000 to take out. Comes with a sandwich, drink, a jelly, pom bears, veg sticks and hummus.

  • Delight Bites, Radcliffe, Bury, M26 4PY - providing a packed lunch to any children in need from Radcliffe, Bury and Bolton. Collection or delivery. Please contact the Facebook page to order. Accepting donations of food for the bags (bread, sandwich fillers, fruit crisps etc).

MANCHESTER

ROCHDALE

  • Rochdale Council HAVE announced a scheme. They are providing £15 vouchers for each child that is eligible for free school meals. Vouchers will be sent from the council directly and will arrive from Monday 2nd November.

  • Nutters Restaurant, The Empire, Rochdale, OL12 7TT - providing 500 free school pack lunches per day for children in Rochdale. Collect on Monday 26th Oct - Friday 30th Oct between 11am-12noon.

  • Venus Lounge, Heywood, Rochdale, OL10 4NN - Collection Monday 26th - Friday 30th October from 5pm-6pm. Please bring your child to collect their hot meal with a drink.

  • Hills Fish & Chips, Middleton, Rochdale, M24 2DN - please message the Facebook page to book one of their 500 free meals a day (sausage, chips, gravy or curry, haribos). This will be increased if customers donate. Limited to two per family.

  • Lords of Middleton, Middleton, M24 1AN - set up a meat voucher scheme with Parkfield Primary anc Boarshaw Primary. The vouchers will pay towards the cost of some meat so families can make a filling meal.

SALFORD

OLDHAM

  • Oldham Council HAVE announced they will be ensuring no child goes hungry this half-term. Please click here for more information.

  • The Waggon Inn, Uppermill, OL3 6HR - offering free packed lunches for children who need them. Ring 01457879106 to order and they will be ready for lunchtime to collect. Also, all kids meals are free next week when dining with parents.

  • Grandpa Greene's, Diggle, Oldham, OL3 5JT - offering free lunch bags for children who normally receive free school meals. Call 07790092581 or message on them on Facebook. Available to takeaway Monday 26th October - Friday 30th October.

  • Shelly B's Cafe, Royton, Oldham, OL2 5QD - message on Facebook or call 0784726385 for a homemade meal or a sandwich pack for children.

  • Veg in the Park, Oldham, OL4 2HX - message the page who will make packed lunches for children if you need help in half-term.

  • Oldham Greenhill Community Sports Club, Oldham, OL8 1JR - offering free breakfast for vulnerable young people under the age of 16. Available 10am - 11:30am.

  • Mahdlo Youth Zone, Oldham, OL1 3SE - open 12-2pm every weekday in half term for children to collect a packed lunch. They will be doing district stops in Fitton Hill, Limeside, Holts, Freehold, Coalshaw and Green Park. Timetable will be announced on their Twitter page.

STOCKPORT

TAMESIDE

TRAFFORD

WIGAN

  • Wigan Council HAVE announced a scheme to support children this half-term. All children aged 4+ who receive free school meals will be contacted directly to be given a £15 voucher (per child).

  • Union Arms, Tyldesley, Wigan, M29 8EW - offering free packed lunches Monday 26th October - Friday 30th October. Message the Facebook page or contact 07942599417.

  • 4 Ways Cafe & Sandwich Bar, Leigh, WN7 5JE - offering a free packed lunch to children who need them from Monday 26th - Friday 30th October. Call the cafe on 01942260892.

  • The Courtyard, Wigan, WN1 1LR - free meal for children who would struggle without their free school meals. Available Tuesday 27th October - Saturday 1st November, 10am - 4:15pm. Mention you have come for a school meal.

  • The Chinese Buffet, Wigan, WN1 1UP - offering 300 meals a day across four locations. Order via their app but you must collect. Charities can collect on behalf of families. Available Monday 26th October - Friday 30th October.

  • Lean & Mean Kitchen, Wigan, WN3 5BE - offering children who need it a free meal - breakfast, dinner or tea.

  • Spinners Arms, Leigh, WN7 4SB - offering children who need it a lunch box (sandwich, sausage roll, piece of fruit, cake, pop & crisps) on Monday 26th - Friday 30th October. Collect between 11am - 2pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Will deliver locally if needed, contact 01942708587.

  • Shevington Village Kitchen, Shevington, Wigan, WN6 8HA - provide hot or cold kids takeout to parents who will need help. Monday 26th October - Friday 30th October, 9am - 4pm. Drop a message or walk in.

How did my MP vote?

All MPs had the opportunity to vote to prevent children who receive free school school meals from going hungry during school holidays. This was voted down in Parliament, with 322 MPs voting against the motion.

Find out who your MP is and how to contact them here. You can also click on their name to email them.

See below how your MP voted.

BOLTON

BURY

MANCHESTER

OLDHAM

ROCHDALE

SALFORD

STOCKPORT

TAMESIDE

TRAFFORD

WIGAN