CHILDREN eligible for free school meals will be supported by the Royal Borough during the Easter Holiday with holiday activities and a food programme.

The council has launched its Feed Ur Everyday Lives (FUEL) programme, which will provide additional support to vulnerable children in the borough and will be delivered by Achieving for Children, which manages the council’s children’s services, with funding from the Department for Education.

FUEL offers online and face-to-face activities for children aged five to 16-years-old who are eligible for free school meals, for four hours a day, four days a week, during the holiday periods.

READ MORE: Windsor's Phoenix Gymnastics Club under threat of closure

The aim of the holiday activities programme is to teach children who attend the importance of nutrition and healthy eating, to be more active, and how to be safe.

Other online activities will include breakdancing, comic book drawing, magic and origami.

The programme runs until the end of 2021 and will take place for two weeks during the Easter holidays, four weeks during the summer break and one week during the Christmas holidays.

Councillor Stuart Carroll, cabinet member for adult social care, children’s services, health and mental health, said: “A critical priority of the council is protecting vulnerable people and ensuring all children have the same opportunities and life chances. This programme is a critical part of our ongoing commitment to supporting some of our most disadvantaged and vulnerable families in the borough.

READ MORE: River Thames Scheme petition to be debated at Windsor & Maidenhead full council

“I’m pleased we’re able to offer the FUEL programme during the identified school holidays for the rest of the year. These periods can be times of added financial pressure for families, with increased costs on childcare and food, and we hope FUEL’s offer of nutritious meals and fun and engaging activities will help our hardest-hit families.”

For the summer programme, FUEL is inviting applications from local organisations, charities, holiday club providers and third sector organisations who can develop their existing offer to include food provision for eligible children.

To book your place, go to https://rbwm.afcinfo.org.uk/pages/community-information/information-and-advice/fuel-holiday-activities-and-food-programme

For support with the online application process, please contact the FUEL co-ordinator at HAF@achievingforchildren.org.uk.