ANDOVER Foodbank has launched a new project to ‘kit people out’ for the school summer holidays whilst also tackling social isolation and loneliness among children.

The Summer Holidays Project has the aim of delivering bags of food to schools before the end of term and in time for the summer holidays.

It is hoped those bags of food will allow struggling families and their children to take part in normal summer activities like picnics, barbecues or sleepovers.

Demand for food bags tends to spike ahead of the summer holidays, as parents struggle with childcare costs or the absence of free school meals, and the foodbank is trying to pre-empt that demand.

Jenny LeLean, community manager at Andover Foodbank, said: “We are just trying to kit people out before the holidays.

“We know there’s a need there because the schools tell us there’s a need there. So we are just pre-empting the need and trying to give the children a nice time as well.”

Jenny says food such as dried fruit snack packs, fruit juice cartons, tinned hotdogs and tomato ketchup are ideal for the Summer Holidays Project.

There is also an information sheet on the Andover Foodbank website listing other suitable products, including canned goods, sandwich spreads, biscuits and crisps.

Those foods will equip families to be able to enjoy typical summer activities, reducing loneliness during a time when many are at their most in need.

Jenny added: “We wanted to try to reduce the risk of children being lonely or in social isolation by doing the normal things they would do during the holidays — so things like, if you want to have a picnic, we can provide things to go in sandwiches.”

Andover Foodbank is also keen to hear from local business which may be interested in offering donations ahead of the summer.

“We have lots of companies that do collections around Christmas,” said Jenny, “and we just wanted to let them know if they wanted to do that for this project we would be delighted.”

Donations need to be at the foodbank by Sunday, June 30, to be ready to deliver to schools before the holidays. Items can be donated through the usual donation points or at the foodbank itself in Alexandra Road.

For more information on how to help, or to make a donation to Andover Foodbank, go to andover.foodbank.org.uk or call 01264 362111.