On Monday 25th June, the Bishop of Stockport gave thanks to the volunteers of the Filling the Gap initiative. The Rt Revd Libby Lane presented a special plaque to each church volunteer and thanked them for their help in providing fun and food to children during the school holidays.
Filling the Gap was created as a way of supplementing the budgets of those families that rely on the provision of free school meals. It is run by Transforming Lives Together, an organisation that aims to create a movement of churches across Cheshire and parts of Greater Manchester to tackle poverty in all its forms.
There are currently 13 churches in the Diocese of Chester that are supporting families through Filling the Gap, with two more churches hoping to join the group this summ
er.
Kath Leigh, Lead Community Builder for TLT said: “This initiative is particularly important to families who rely on the provision of free school meals; offering food and a good holiday experience for children to talk about on their return to school after the holidays.”
On 16th October, TLT will be hosting a Filling the Gap marketplace event at Church House, Daresbury. They will be welcoming back those churches that have already provided fun and food to children during the school holidays and inviting other churches that wish to explore being a part of the initiative to find out more. They will also launch a new Filling the Gap resource pack full of ideas and inspiration.
Is your church interested in providing fun and food to children during the school holidays?