Grocery workers can claim £150 towards their child’s school uniform, pens or PE kit, following the return of GroceryAid’s School Essentials grant.
The non-repayable grant, now in is sixth year, is available to the school-age children of anyone who works in the food and drink supply chain. Families can claim for up to three children per household, and can put the funds towards essentials for the new school year.
Applications open at 9am on 2 June and close on 4 June. Successful applicants will be selected at random if they meet the criteria.
“The back-to-school period is one of the most expensive times of the year for families, and we know many grocery colleagues feel the strain,” said GroceryAid CEO Kieran Hemsworth.
“Thanks to the continued support of The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust, we’re able to put £1m directly into the hands of those who need it most, giving children across our industry a confident start to the new school year.”
Given the short three-day window, Hemsworth called on all retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, forecourt traders and wholesalers to encourage their colleagues to apply to ensure that the charity can “reach as many eligible families as possible”.
“If colleagues aren’t successful with their School Essentials Grant application, they may still be eligible for another financial grant from GroceryAid to provide relief in tough times,” Hemsworth added.
“It’s always worth encouraging colleagues to apply if they need help – there’s absolutely no cost involved, so there’s nothing to lose,” Hemsworth said.
“Wider support is also available for the family such as family counselling and counselling for children and young people, all completely free and confidential,” he added.
The School Essentials Grant was launched in 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is funded by the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust, which supports the families of grocers, pharmacists, commercial travellers.
School Essentials were among the £4.6m in financial grants GroceryAid paid to workers across the food and drink industry last year, as the cost of living crisis spurred a surge in calls for support.
Anyone wanting to find out more can go to the GroceryAid website.
Following a rebrand last year, Hemsworth, along with GroceryAid president Rami Baitiéh, have set the goal of closing what they charity said was a widening awareness gap in 2026.
The charity revealed that just 4% of workers across the sector know the charity exists and called on employers to do more to a spotlight on its efforts, and make workers aware of its services.
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