The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Durham have urged the Government to extend free school meals as they highlight the \u201charrowing\u201d number of families who could be destitute by Christmas.<\/p>\n
Writing in TES today<\/a>, Archbishop Justin Welby and Bishop Paul Butler called on the Government to provide free school meals to every child whose family is on universal credit, andexpand holiday provision to all children on free school meals.<\/p>\n According to food bank charity the Trussell Trust, 46,000 food parcels will need to be provided by their network to people in crisis between October and December 2020 \u2013 an increase of 61% on last year.<\/p>\n They estimate an additional 670,000 people will be destitute by the end of the year, a prediction Archbishop Justin and Bishop Paul describe as \u201charrowing\u201d.<\/p>\n The Archbishop and Bishop said it will be \u201cvital for those most disadvantaged\u201d that schools in their communities stay open, but that teachers \u201ccan only do so much on their own\u201d and need appropriate funding to help tackle child hunger and poverty.<\/p>\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n Archbishop of Canterbury @JustinWelby<\/a> and the @BishopofDurham<\/a> have urged the Government to extend free school meals.<\/p>\n The letter praises @MarcusRashford<\/a>'s free school meals campaign and a @DioceseNorwich<\/a> project that provided 26,082 meals over six weeks.https:\/\/t.co\/psJsmhSMLY<\/a><\/p>\n — The Church of England (@churchofengland) October 1, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n