Gloucestershire County Council Access to food during the school holidays Information for families

Issue 3: December 2020 Contents Introduction

Introduction...... 2 Welcome to this access to Free and low-cost foods...... 4 food during school holidays Food banks...... 4 information leaflet. We have produced this helpful leaflet Food support for families who have children under the to guide and signpost you to age of 4...... 8 access available food. Food waste and donations...... 9 COVID–19 Mutual Aid If you need help to access Local Groups...... 9 food ’s Community Help Wellbeing...... 10 Hub has created a hub that can help Feeding the Family...... 10 with food assistance. If people are unable to use the online form they Dental and Oral Health...... 11 have a phone line available, please call 01452 583519. This is a priority telephone line for people who need help or who are volunteering. This number should not be used to report other issues.

2 Access to food The lines are open; Types of support available includes è Monday – Friday 9am–5pm food deliveries, supermarket vouchers, essential household equipment, gas è They will pass on the information / electricity, furniture, rent in advance to the relevant district or borough (only when all other options have been council to connect people explored), removal expenses, cash who can help each other, or when necessary and The Children’s if appropriate refer individuals Fund can provide clothes when to an existing service https:// necessary. www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ gloucestershires-community-help- More information on the fund and how hub/ it can provide short term support for food and other areas can be accessed in the link below. The Covid-19 Winter Fund is a strand of the Welfare Fund that the https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ County Council provides for individuals health-and-social-care/gloucestershire- in need. The Fund supports vulnerable welfare-support-scheme/ children, young people, working Application form: https:// age adults, older people and their www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ families during the challenging and media/2097744/emergency- unprecedented times of the Covid - 19 assistance-grant-form.pdf pandemic. Individuals and families can self - refer or a professional can refer If people are unable on their behalf. to use the online form The individuals and families must be they have a phone line a resident in Gloucestershire and be available, please call 16 years old or over. Applications will 01452 328518 be considered from a wide variety of priority groups.

Gloucestershire County Council | Children’s Social Care 3 Free and low-cost food

Food banks Food Bank Main è There are seven Trussell Trust Centre Food banks in the county, some Cheltenham Elim Church, 115- 117 are now offering home delivery St George’s Road, Cheltenham, GL50 3ED options and are operating an electronic referral systems. Open Wednesdays 11am - 3pm è If you feel you are struggling to put food on the table, agencies St Paul’s Distribution Centre can work with and support you St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Road, by issuing you with a foodbank Cheltenham, GL50 4EZ voucher which is the most Open Fridays 11am - 3pm important step to getting access Website: https://cheltenham. to the food bank. Agencies that foodbank.org.uk/ can issue food bank vouchers Facebook: https://www.facebook. will include: Citizens Advice, com/cheltenhamfoodbank/ housing support officers, If you do not have enough money children’s centres, health for food, you can call free on visitors, social services and 0808 2082138 to some local charities. speak to a trained and independent There are also independent food Citizen’s Advice banks which you can find out agent. about at: Alternatively, speak to Cheltenham https://www.foodaidnetwork.org. Citizen Advice on 01452 327202, uk/independent-food-banks-map a referral agency partner of Cheltenham foodbank about getting a foodbank voucher.

4 Access to food Gloucester Food Bank Forest of Dean Food Bank 107 Great Western Road, Newland Street, Coleford Gloucester GL1 3NF GL16 8AN Phone: 01452 309683 Phone: 07775 265263 Website: https://gloucester. Website: https://theforest. foodbank.org.uk/ foodbank.org.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook. Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook. com/GloucesterFoodbank/ com/theforestfoodbank1/ This service is currently offering a This service has now moved to delivery only service. providing a delivery service. Providing 7 – day emergency food New contact arrangements parcels (providing 21 meals per è If you live in postcode GL15 person) rather than the normal 3 – please phone 07391 001217 day’s parcels. only from 2pm-4pm on If you do not have Wednesdays enough for food, you è If you live in postcode GL16 can call free on please phone 07387 502240 0808 2082138 to only from 2pm-4pm on speak to a trained and Mondays independent Citizen’s è If you live in postcodes GL14 Advice agent. Alternatively, speak & GL17 please phone 07553 to GL Communities on 01452 611294 only from 9.30am 5055444 will be able to issue -11.30am on Fridays a food bank voucher to you or contact Gloucester City Council If you do not have enough for Customer Services on 01452 food, you can call free on 0808 396396 or email heretohelp@ gloucester.gov.uk 2082138 to speak to a trained and independent Citizen’s Advice agent.

Gloucestershire County Council | Children’s Social Care 5 Free and low – cost food (contd)

Tewkesbury Food Bank Cirencester Food Bank with Address: 76 Church Street, Fairford and Tetbury Tewkesbury GL20 5RX Cirencester Ashcroft Church, Phone: 01684 296824 Ashcroft Road, Cirencester Gl7 1RA Website: https://tewkesbury. foodbank.org.uk/ Phone: 07762 168297 This service uses Website: https://cirencester. an e–referral voucher foodbank.org.uk/ – which means that Facebook: https://www.facebook. anyone can contact com/cirenfoodbank/ one of the agencies to receive a referral Email: code. Identification will be needed [email protected] to collect a parcel from the centre. Operating a home delivery service. If you do not have enough money Moved onto a digital system for food, you can call free 0808 and referral agencies are issuing 2082138 to speak to a trained electronic foodbank vouchers. and independent Citizen’s Advice agent. Alternatively, call 01452 If you do not have enough 0808 527202 to speak to North and food, you can call free on 2082138 East Gloucestershire Citizen’s to speak to a trained Advice service. and independent Citizen’s Advice agent. Full list of other partners who can issue vouchers can be found here: https://tewkesbury.foodbank.org. uk/get-help/how-to-get-help/

6 Access to food North Food Bank Stroud Food Bank Unit 2, Glebe Farm Buildings, Unit 2A, Brimscombe Port, Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 Brimscombe, Stroud GL5 2QQ 1JB Phone: 01453 367077 Phone: 07879 375562 Website: https://strouddistrict. Website: https://northcotswold. foodbank.org.uk/ foodbank.org.uk/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook. Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/StroudDistrictFoodbank com/NorthCotswoldFoodbank/ This service is now offering delivery Email: info@northcotswolds. only services. foodbank.org.uk If you do not have enough food, If you do not have enough food, you can call free 0800 8000 510 you can call free on (Citizen’s Advice) or 0808 168 2443 0808 2082138 to speak to a (P3 Charity) to speak to someone trained and independent Citizen’s who will be able to Advice agent. Call or email the issue you with a foodbank – they can talk through food bank voucher your situation and put you in touch if necessary. with a relevant agency.

Cheltenham CCP Pantry Project The pantry project is an alternative to the standard food panels. Members can choose from fresh meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables, to the value of approximately £15, for £3.50 a week. By visiting the Pantry each week, CCP support workers can work with clients and signpost them to other services that can provide debt, housing, mental health and family support. The Pantry is open Wednesdays - Fridays. To apply for the Pantry Project complete the application form: https://www.ccp.org.uk/Handlers/Download. ashx?IDMF=696665fc-b7eb-4a48-a111-bbd2e58ae087

Gloucestershire County Council | Children’s Social Care 7 Food support for families who have children under the age of 4

The Healthy Start scheme can help è Completing the form online you get free vouchers every week and then printing it off to to spend on cow’s milk, pulses check and sign (https://www. (beans, lentils and peas), plain healthystart.nhs.uk/healthy- fresh, frozen and canned fruit and start-vouchers/how-to-apply/ vegetables, vitamins and infant online-application-form/) formula milk. The vouchers can be è Downloading it directly from used at retail outlets registered with the website: https://www. the Healthy Start scheme which healthystart.nhs.uk/healthy- includes many supermarkets, start-vouchers/how-to-apply/ independent local shops and pharmacies. A GP, midwife or health visitor no longer needs to sign this form. How to apply? Healthy Start use information from Applying for Healthy Start Vitamins your tax credits and benefits claims is easy. All you need to do is to check you qualify so make sure complete the application leaflet. all your details (including your You can get the application by: address) are up to date with Tax Credits and Job Centre Plus as è Asking your midwife or health this will help them process your visitor for one application quickly. è Calling the Healthy Start helpline 0345 607 6823 and asking How to spend the vouchers? them to send one to you by To find out what you can spend the post vouchers on and apply for Healthy Start Vitamins visit here: https:// www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/ healthy-start/

8 Access to food Food waste COVID–19 Mutual and donations Aid Local Groups

è Individuals with excess food Mutual aids groups have been can use the food sharing set up across Gloucestershire. app Olio (https://olioex.com/) The local groups are run by local (please follow their safety people living in the community advice closely) they aim to connect residents and è Try to prevent food waste neighbours together so they can from happening, follows support each other in whatever these practical tips way possible during this time. The (https://www.bbcgoodfood. groups are generally on either com/howto/guide/how- Facebook or online; you can use reduce-food-waste) the interactive map to find your è If you want to donate to food local group. banks and other emergency providers use the donations è Type your local area onto the at some supermarkets or Interactive map and it will donate directly to a local signpost to the other groups food bank https://www. https://covidmutualaid.org/ trusselltrust.org/get-involved/ local-groups/?place= ways-to-give/donate-food/ gloucestershire

Gloucestershire County Council | Children’s Social Care 9 Wellbeing

Feeding the Family Providing healthy nutritious meals for your child(ren) on a tight budget can be a challenge for everyone but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some suggestions to help you.

è Food Active has produced a top è The Change 4 Life Smart tip guide for meal ideas for a 3 Recipes app has 160 recipes day parcel and 7 day parcel that are simple and easy to è BBC Good Food has 36 prepare and cook which you recipes that are cheap and can get the children involved. wholesome meals for the whole Download for free on the family including step - by - step Google Play Store or Apple IOS videos. Store. è Download the Change4Life è Newcastle City Council Public Food Scanner app to bring Health Team has compiled tips labels to life and find out what’s for feeding children on a budget really in the food and drink and how best to make your you’re buying and eating. food shop stretches further. Available on the Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/ store/apps/detailsid=com.phe. c4lfoodsmart&hl=en_GB or on the Apple Store: https://apps. apple.com/gb/app/change4life- food-scanner/id1182946415

10 Access to food Dental and Oral Health Tooth decay is the most common oral disease affecting children and young people in , yet it is largely preventable. With dentists now safely open, there are some suggestions to help your children take care of your teeth and develop healthy habits early.

è Children and young people è Advice and information on how under 18, or under 19 and in to take care of children’s teeth qualifying full – time education https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ are entitled to free dental healthy-body/taking-care-of- treatment. To find out if you are childrens-teeth/ eligible for free NHS dental care, è Change for Life Sugar read more https://www.nhs.uk/ Calculator. See what sugar using-the-nhs/help-with-health- swaps you can make! https:// costs/get-help-with-dental- www.nhs.uk/change4life/food- costs/ facts/sugar/sugar-calculator è Download Brush DJ App to plays two minutes of your music so you brush your teeth for the right amount of time. The app has short videos and can help make brushing teeth fun! https://www.brushdj.com/

Gloucestershire County Council | Children’s Social Care 11 Copyright © Gloucestershire County Council 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system of any nature, or transmitted, in any form or by any means including photocopying and recording, without the prior written permission of Gloucestershire County Council, the copyright owner. Licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency or any other reproduction rights organisation do not apply. If any unauthorised acts are carried out in relation to this copyright work, a civil claim for damages may be made and/or a criminal prosecution may result.

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Prepared by Gloucestershire County Council Children and Families Commissioning Team Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester GL1 2TG