Exeter charities benefit from cash grants to tackle holiday hunger

Families in Exeter that are struggling to afford food this summer holiday are being supported by cash grants from Western Power Distribution (WPD). The electricity network operator has awarded grants totalling £30,000 from its Community Matters Fund to charities, local councils and community groups across the South West to help families struggling to put food on the table.

It’s widely reported that children have been the most adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and that many families are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, due to the rising cost of living. During the school holidays, there is always higher demand at food banks, often from families that rely on term-time free school meals – and research in 2019 highlighted that there were three million children at risk of ‘holiday hunger’.* 

Amongst the beneficiaries announced today is St Sidwell’s Community Centre, which has been awarded £2,465 to fund cooking workshops for local families, where they will be provided with nutritious ingredients and help to make affordable meals.

Iona Collins, Centre Manager at St Sidwell’s, commented: “We are delighted to have been awarded a grant by Western Power Distribution's Community Matters Fund. We will be building on projects we have run for several years, supporting children at risk of holiday hunger. This time, we will be providing whole families with cookery workshops and meal kits to make tasty and nutritious food.”

WPD’s Resources & External Affairs Director, Alison Sleightholm, said: “Holiday hunger is a very real and pressing issue in communities up and down the country, and at WPD we have an obligation to support families facing this problem in the communities we serve. We’re pleased to be able to support community groups, charities and local authorities in the South West that are working hard to improve the quality of life for families over the holiday period and beyond, and we look forward to seeing their projects deliver vital benefits.”

WPD is the UK’s largest electricity distributor, responsible for delivering power to homes, businesses and vital services through its lines and cables in the South West, South Wales and the Midlands. Its Community Matters Fund is paid for by the company’s shareholders and distributes £1 million a year. 

For more information, please visit: www.westernpower.co.uk/community-matters-fund. Follow the fund on social media via #WPDCommunityFund