Almost 5000 children in one area of Glasgow received free meals during the summer holidays last year as part of a programme to combat poverty.

More than 16,000 children benefitted from the Children’s Holiday Food Programme last summer and more than a quarter of them were from just one council ward, Calton, in the East end

When schools were shut over the holidays, community organisations provided the meals, with activities to ensure kids did not go without food.

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A breakdown of council wards, shows that in the most deprived areas there were many more children taking part in the programme.

The number of children fed, ranged from just 35 in Newlands/Auldburn, home to some of the least deprived communities in Glasgow, to almost 5000 in Calton, home to many of the most deprived areas.

In Calton, there were 4730 children who received food during the holidays, A council report said in Calton “one organisation runs several sessions per day to allow for the demand”.

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Others with high numbers were North East with 2499 and Linn with 1023 children.

At the other end of the scale, in Anderston/City/Yorkhill there were 49, Hillhead 61, and in Partick East/Kelvindale there were 103 children who took part.

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The scheme was delivered by around 50 organisations right across the city.

The cost over the summer holiday weeks was £1.2m covering the cost of the food, which was £800,000, management costs, of £35,000 and other direct costs, including for venues staff and transport, at around £425,000.

It cost an average of £75 per child who benefitted from the programme.

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The activities included arts and crafts, dancing, sports, day trips, music workshops, drama and cycling.

A monitoring report into the scheme found 100 percent of parents and carers, whose children took part, said it had made their life easier over the summer months.

And 93percent said it allowed them to not worry about their children being fed during the summer.

Glasgow’s City Treasurer, Councillor Ricky Bell, said: “The risk and fear of children going without food during the school holidays is greatly reduced thanks to this unique programme. Participation in the holiday food programmes lessens the worries parents and carers have about feeding their children over the holiday period.

“The report has also shown the programme to have numerous associated benefits to the children attending, their families, the wider communities in which they run and even in the organisations themselves.

“Organisations worked exceptionally well in exceptional circumstances to make use of the council’s funding and adapt their services to ensure children across the city had the chance to participate safely in more ‘normal’ activities such as day trips and outdoor play.”

The programme was first developed in April 2018 to address elements of poverty in the city.