Nearly £5,000 has been raised by an Isle of Wight community group, as several Island businesses rally behind an initiative to feed local children.
The fundraising was inspired by footballer Marcus Rashford’s national campaign for free school meals over the October and Christmas school holidays.
Several more Island businesses, including Isle of Wight Zoo and The Original Phil’s Diner have now joined the initiative started by Socialising Buddies – which provides activities for vulnerable people on the Island.
Following an Island-wide influx of support, the campaign has now raised £4,995 – as of this morning (26).
Donations to the group will be distributed to local food outlets, who can then give meals to Island children of all backgrounds, free of charge.
Any money left over from the October school holidays will be put towards the Christmas period.
As Isle of Wight Radio previously reported, Mark Kelly - who runs Socialising Buddies alongside his wife Charlotte - started the movement after Labour’s motion to extend the food voucher scheme was rejected.
Isle of Wight fish ‘n’ chip shop Happy Haddock, in Shanklin and Sandown, had already signed up for the scheme, as well as T and D Kitchen in Ventnor and Ryde.
The campaign has since gathered support from several other Island businesses, including:
- The Beach Hut (Bembridge)
- The Boat House (Seaview)
- Caesar’s Shanklin Beach Hotel
- Corrie’s Cabin Fish Shop (Cowes)
- The Fishbourne
- Isle of Wight Zoo
- The Lifeboat
- The Original Phil’s Diner
- The Retreat (Newport)
- Terry’s Fish and Chips (Wootton)
- The Spinnaker (Bembridge)
- YMCA (Shanklin)
If you would like to get behind the campaign you can give Mark a call on 07960194888 or get in touch with Mark via email at [email protected].
There is also a crowd funding page, which can be viewed here.