Free lunch for families in Corby today

A free lunch club for families on a tight budget returns today (Tuesday, February 18).

Meals are on offer from 12noon to 1.30pm today at St Peter and St Andrew's Church in Beanfield Avenue, Corby. And this time, the Lunchbusters also have free recipe books and ingredients hampers on offer that can be collected at the same time.

The organisation was launched in response to the growing difficulties faced by families who find it tough to feed their children during the holidays without the benefit of free school meals.

It holds its events at venues around Corby during the school holidays and is open to all families, with no obligation on people to prove hardship.

This time around, the organisers are also offering people the chance to take home a copy of Jack Monroe's celebrated book Tin Can Cook. The anti-poverty campaigner is adept at putting together tasty meals for pennies. Anyone who wants one will also be given a hamper containing some ingredients to get them started on some of Jack's recipes.

Organiser Maria Bryan said: "To help support families in times when we're not open for lunches, Lunchbusters is producing a hamper pack based on ingredients and products supplied from the local foodbank.

"As ever, the only criteria you and your family need to fit is you come along with your child or children and live within Corby.

"We'd like to say thank you to so many people and organisations locally who are supporting our project, financially and otherwise.

"Donations are still coming in from lots of places. We also think people not affected by benefit sanctions are now realising how tough some families have it. Things like the Panorama TV programmes have shown the true face of child poverty and hardship."

Lunchbusters will also be open on Thursday (February 20) between 12noon and 1.30pm.