AM Visits local Food and Fun Sessions

Cardiff South and Penarth Assembly Member Vaughan Gething recently visited St. Albans Primary in Splott and Meadowlane Primary in St Mellons to see the Food and Fun School Holiday Enrichment Programme in action.

The School Holiday Enrichment Programme (SHEP) is a school-based programme that provides healthy meals, food and nutrition education, physical activity and enrichment sessions to children in areas of social deprivation during the summer holidays. During term time pupils are able to access breakfast clubs and free school meals but many struggle to afford or access healthy meals during the holidays

The programme is run by the WLGA and part funded by the Welsh Government. This year the Welsh Government has provided an additional £400,000 to meet growing demand. The number of schools across Wales offering the programme has risen by 43% this year. The increase in funding also includes a £100,000 for a new pilot based on play and community based settings.

Vaughan Gething AM said: “It is always a pleasure to visit schools across the constituency. It was interesting to talk with pupils, parents and staff about how SHEP has benefitted them. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the food testing and had the opportunity of brushing up on my first aid skills with the Welsh Ambulance Service. It was fantastic to see so the work that is being done by different groups and the impact that the programme is having on families in my constituency”.

Vaughan added: “I am proud of the work the Welsh Government in partnership with local authorities is doing to mitigate the worst effects of UK Government imposed austerity”.