Wigan businesses unite to make sure no child goes hungry during school holiday

Jordon Seddon, from House of Sass, and five-year-old daughter Paiten

Inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign for free meals for pupils during school holidays, many food outlets and other firms have now offered to provide the meals themselves.

It comes amid concerns for children who may experience “holiday hunger” as their families cannot afford to buy extra food normally provided at school.

Jordon Seddon, who runs online girl’s clothes boutique House of Sass, has pledged to buy lunches for Wigan families and will be stocking up on everything they need this weekend.

The mum-of-two is asking people to send a message on Facebook or email her anonymously if they prefer and she will arrange for non-contact deliveries to their homes.

Jordon said: “I thought I would see if I could put money aside from my takings this week and instead of putting it into new stock, I would help other people. I’m a mum myself and it made me feel uneasy that other people would be out there struggling.”

One offer of help that caught the attention of Manchester United star Marcus was from The Courtyard, on Jaxons Court in Wigan.

He retweeted their offer to provide free meals next week to children whose parents are struggling to feed them.

A post on social media said: “Let’s be honest they’re probably not gonna get one of their five a day here with our menu but we can fill their bellies. This is available with complete discretion, we have to greet everyone at the door due to Covid guidelines so just quietly mention you’ve come for a school meal and we’ll provide what we can. You don’t need to buy anything yourselves, just let us help you if you need it next week.”

Food directory Wigan Eats launched a fund-raising appeal in a bid to raise £15,000 to provide 10,000 meals for children.

Donations have been pouring in at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wiganeatschildrensmeals.

Church Street Chippy in Golborne is putting together lunches to be collected between 11.30am and 12.30pm from Monday to Friday, while Jordan’s Fish and Chips in Shevington, Whistling Wren pub in Leigh and Hunters estate agents in Leigh are also offering lunches.

The Black Pepper, on Library Street in Wigan, is providing lunchboxes, which people can request via Facebook and they can be collected between 11am and 1.30pm from Monday to Friday.

The Union Arms in Tyldesley will have free packed lunches to be collected or delivered, while it is also offering a free child’s meal next week with every adult meal bought between noon and 7.45pm.

Volunteers have teamed up with Sygma Solutions Ltd, JB Fitness, Men Walking Tall and Sunshine House Community Centre to provide free packed lunches, which they will be delivering across the borough and making available for collection.

They will also have “cupboard fillers” such as bread, milk and pasta for people who need them.

To place an order, people are asked to contact Liam Aitken on 07963 318908, Thomas Cottom on 07593 235084 or Emma Louise on 07459 223972.

Liam said: “The people of Wigan are coming together to make sure no child will go hungry and the response is incredible.”

The Wigan Observer is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism. For unlimited access to Wigan news and information online, you can subscribe here