Newcastle United and Foundation deliver packed lunches to disadvantaged children

Newcastle United and Foundation deliver packed lunches to disadvantaged children

Newcastle United and the Foundation are again ensuring families most in need this half-term will receive vital food parcels feeding hundreds of hungry children during the school holidays.

The club and its charity arm, Newcastle United Foundation, answered calls for support from Newcastle City Council on Monday, helping to deliver dozens of packed lunches to children who would ordinarily eat free school meals during term-time. Alongside hundreds of other generous Geordie businesses, schools, community groups and organisations, the club and Foundation were only too happy to donate their time to hand-deliver nutritional lunches to those in need. The deliveries, provided by Newcastle City Council’s Citylife Line service, underpin the Club’s commitment to supporting the most vulnerable families and children in the city through holiday hunger programmes. Each food parcel contains enough food for two to three days, with further deliveries to eligible families planned throughout the week.

Steve Beharall, Head of Newcastle United Foundation, said: “Our work in hundreds of communities across the region means our staff understand the huge impact that holiday hunger has on children every school holiday. More than 13,000 children in Newcastle alone are eligible for free school meals and without support from organisations like our generous partners, these young people may go hungry, miss meals completely or not eat enough to stay happy and healthy. We are proud to put our charity’s vision, mission and values into action by volunteering alongside the Council and we will continue to provide for the families and communities who need it most.”

The October half-term deliveries are the latest in a number of commitments Newcastle United and Foundation staff have fulfilled to supply vital food packages to disadvantaged children since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and June, the Foundation helped distribute more than 12,000 food parcels, activity packs and educational resources to children living in the North East’s poorest neighbourhoods. The charity also supported partner organisations and schools throughout lockdown and the summer holidays, most recently delivering more than 100 free school meals to children affected by the temporary closure of North Fawdon Primary School in October.