List of restaurants, shops and councils offering free food to kids this half term
26 October 2020, 08:00 | Updated: 26 October 2020, 08:06
Loads of local pubs, cafes and restaurants are offering free food after footballer Marcus Rashford’s petition to extend the free school meals scheme this half term.
Businesses across England have joined Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign to help vulnerable families over half-term.
Last week, MPs voted against extending the free school meals scheme so that it covers the school holidays until Easter 2021.
But local shops, restaurants and councils are now offering meals, food vouchers, hampers and direct payments to parents for vulnerable children.
‘Blown away’ by the kindness from these companies, Marcus Rashford Tweeted over the weekend: “Selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know."
The footballer has also been retweeting free meal offers from firms across the country in a bid to help struggling parents and carers.
So where can children get free school meals over half term? Here’s some of the businesses involved…
Which businesses will give out free school meals over half term?
Exactly what is being offered by different restaurants, cafes and councils varies, so it’s best to check directly.
Some are providing free food, while others ask you to contact them in advance and have a limited set number of meals.
McDonald’s is one of the big chains offering one million free meals for families in partnership with charity FareShare.
Others include Pho, Huffkins bakery, Big Smoke breweries and QOOT.
Free school meals map
I've started to put these on a Google Map if that's helpful for anyone...#AllKidsMatter 📍https://t.co/CyK4R7sKFh https://t.co/Ce9AyZSOtW
— Joe Freeman 📍 (@JosephFreeman) October 23, 2020
A handy map has also been created which shows all the places you can get free meals for kids over half-term.
Joe Freeman put together the website allkidsmatter which pulls together all the spots on a Google map.
Local businesses on the map include:
Belluno Italian Restaurant, Bideford
Big Smoke Brew Co, Surbiton, Kingston, Hammersmith, Weybridge, Chichester, Wokingham
Chatham Town FC, Chatham
Castle Beach, Falmouth
Count House Cafe, Penzance
Forest Green Rovers, Nailsworth
Hastings United FC, Hastings
Jenny's, Brackley
Kurts Brasserie, Southampton
La Rondine, Bedford
New Bombay Restaurant, Bedford
Royal & Derngate, Northampton
The Art House, Eastbourne
Vutie Beets, Letchworth Garden City
Willow Tree Nursery, Clacton
Whisper, Kew
Astoria Bar, Manchester
The Hawthorne, Warrington
The Funhouse, Whitehaven
The Sandwich Shop, Rotherham
Bowring Park Cafe, Telford
Aubergine Cafe, Wirral
Babul's, Barnard Castle
Bowers Mill Cafe, Barkisland
Ruddi's Retreat, Huddersfield
Jo's Place, Wilmslow
Khandoker, Didsbury
Laurences, Blyth
Minikin Paint a Pot Art Cafe, Manchester
Mumtaz, Leeds
The Vale Cafe, Rothbury
The Watering Can, Liverpool
Top Nosh, Hexham
Tranmere Rovers, Birkenhead
Whitley Bait Sandwich and Coffee Bar, Whitley Bay
Page's Bakery, Tow Low
Ruddi's Retreat, Huddersfield
Shopping City, Runcorn
The Handsworth Inn, Sheffield
Share a Slice / Pop Brixton, London
Royal Borough of Greenwich, London
Richmond Rugby Club. London
Time to Help, London
The Poodle Club, London
Sista Hub, London
Meat & Shake, London
Burton Albion FC, Burton-upon-Trent
Elite on the Bail, Lincoln
Market Hill Fisheries, Winterton
Midland Mencap, Birmingham
The Pudding Pantry, Nottingham
Local councils on the map include:
Ashfield
Birmingham City
Bradford
Brent
Bristol
Camden
Doncaster
Enfield
Essex
Greenwich
Hackney
Halton
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hillingdon
Hull
Kensington and Chelsea
Kirklees
Knowsley
Lambeth
Liverpool City
Newcastle City
North Tyneside
Oldham
Portsmouth
Salford City
Southwark
Redbridge
Rochdale
Rotherham
St Helens
Telford and Wrekin
Wigan
Wolves
York
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