FareShare schoolchild

The ActiveAte campaign will work with community groups to provide balanced and nutritious meals for up to 20,000 children and families across the UK

FareShare has launched a nationwide campaign calling on the food industry to provide meals for the three million children going hungry over the summer holidays.

The ActiveAte campaign will work with more than 200 community groups across the UK to provide balanced and nutritious meals for up to 20,000 children and families across the UK.

FareShare is also supporting projects offering free food and activities to ensure that children are active and nourished ahead of their return to school in September.

Read more: Central England Co-op kicks off summer food bank push

As many as one in four UK children are currently living in poverty, and the situation is exacerbated during the holidays without the safety net of free school meals.

Extra childcare, food and activities also take their toll on family finances, with some children returning to school malnourished and unable to learn.

“The summer holidays should be a carefree time for young people, presenting an opportunity for them to have new experiences and develop social skills,” said FareShare chief executive Lindsay Boswell.

“Yet without the food provided by school breakfast and lunch clubs, unfortunately many families face a period of struggle, with children at risk of hunger, isolation and inactivity. Our nationwide ActiveAte campaign will support the work of over 200 frontline charities across the UK which work with children and young people. These charities will receive regular deliveries of nutritious food from FareShare - but we always need more food.

“During this time of additional pressure, FareShare is appealing to the food industry to provide increased volumes of child-friendly, healthy, easy preparation food and drinks to meet the demand from holiday projects.”