From The Editor

EDITORIAL

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‘THE summer days are come again’ was a familiar hymn from my childhood and heralded the start of long carefree days and the promise of childish adventure. There was sometimes (even in Scotland) an element of sunshine and trips to the seaside or to visit family. There were regular ice creams and ice lollies and cold drinks to quench thirst on hot days (or so it seemed in the 1970s).

I was one of the lucky children.

For even today in 21st century Scotland, the long summer break is not always one filled with the promise of possibility and play, but a time of hunger and hardship for some children who are usually guaranteed at least one hot meal every day during term time at school.

One local authority, North Lanarkshire Council, which estimates 21% of children are living in low income families in its area, piloted a scheme ‘Club 365’ offering free meals to schoolchildren at leisure centres and other community hubs during the Easter holidays, with encouragement to take part in sports and other activities after recognising the link between diet and classroom attainment. It is the authority’s intention to roll this out to cover the 175 non-school days through the year and ensure children have access to at least one meal a day and ease the stigma of low income by offering provision at leisure centres and community hubs.

However, this is just one local authority – and one trial. There will be many other pockets of need this summer and in future.

In April it was also announced that Scouts Scotland had also offered to help families in need to offer family learning opportunities in partnership with schools to help fill a ‘holiday deficit’.

Caring for and feeding children on a low income during a prolonged holiday is a huge issue for some families. The costs of feeding additional mouths that usually benefit from school meals, coupled with the costs of any sort of essential childcare can tip families over the financial edge.

Foodbank usage continues to increase according to the latest figures released by the Trussell Trust, one of the major foodbank providers in Scotland, and it is likely that the summer holidays will result in a spike in use of its services – and it is a sad reality of daily life that foodbank services and usage have continued to grow in Scotland, not decline.

Many churches already play a key role in supporting families by identifying local needs – whether it is by running a holiday club or a drop-in lunch club – or by supporting foodbanks.

It is this sort of work and support that means some families are able to approach the school holidays not with fear and trepidation, but instead with gratitude for the loving support of our churches.

Lynne McNeil

Editor

The long summer break is not always one filled with the promise of possibility and play, but a time of hunger and hardship for some children.

This article appears in the June 2018 Issue of Life and Work

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