Bude ‘superstars’ respond to Rashford’s call to action

Marcus Rashford has earned great public respect (even if politicians have been less forthcoming) on his work to defeat child food poverty. Awesome that he is using his position for this cause.

Marcus Rashford on Twitter

A motion to provide 1.4 million disadvantaged children in England with £15 a week in food vouchers during pandemic school holidays until Easter 2021 was voted down by the government on Wednesday night. Bude’s Scott Mann was one of the full complement of Cornish Conservative MPs who voted against the move, despite Cornwall having some council wards with over 40% of children living in poverty, the majority of them with at least one parent in full time work.

This is an important point.

There have been unhelpful  and thoughtless comments out there about ‘feckless parents’ from the ‘why have children if you can’t afford them?’ contingent.

The reality is that many parents have had children while their futures looked relatively secure. Covid-19 has proven that no one can predict the future, and that even the seemingly most secure employment can disappear at the drop of a hat. There but for the grace go many of us.

The reality is also that no child deserves to go hungry – poverty is not their fault.

Of course, and we knew it would happen,  Bude’s community response has so far been very impressive.

Big thanks to the following fab four …

Rosie’s Kitchen set the ball rolling. They said:

As a pillar of the local community we feel we should take action!

From tomorrow, if any family with children on free school meals needs help, we will provide a FREE packed lunch every day of the school holidays for your kids. You can send us an email to events@rosieskitchen.co.uk in confidence and we will be more than happy to help anyone in these unprecedented hard times.

In 2018, child poverty averaged 32% in North Cornwall – the worst constituency in Cornwall, and that was before COVID amplified the situation. Despite this, our MP – who sells himself on his working class roots – voted against extending free school meals over half term.

So if the Government won’t support our community, then we will.

Refill Shop Bude

would like to offer any family in need a free food box. With your basics covered – cereal, pasta, rice, oil, dried fruit, and cooking ingredients (and sweets – because we all love snacks ), the box should contain the staples you need for half term. The lovely Ali from

cooksimplycook

will supply a few recipe cards too .

Your school are best placed to reach out to you, so they will let you know how to collect your box.

You can also contact us directly, in confidence, so please don’t go hungry. DM us on Facebook, or email shopping@refillshop.co.uk. if this is something that would genuinely help your family

Exemplary!

Butter Bun on Belle Vue has also answered the call:

With today’s announcement of no Free School Meal vouchers for FSM receiving children during half term … Just so you know, if you run out of food or necessities, or times are just tough, please don’t let you or your kids go to sleep on an empty stomach. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to send me a private message on Facebook. I will do anything I can to help. It may simply be a case of dropping off a food parcel and leaving. No one has to know and where others are concerned, it never happened.

This is a genuine offer I will help anyone on here who needs it there are always soups and stews on the menu and a sandwich may not be much to me but it could mean a lot to a hungry tummy.

Brilliant!