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Free School Meals - Isle Of Wight Initiative To Feed Our Children

An Isle of Wight community group is rallying behind footballer Marcus Rashford's campaign for free school meals.

Socialising Buddies, which provides activities for vulnerable people on the Island, is hoping to provide food for Island children of all backgrounds.

Money that is donated to the group from Island businesses - or residents - will be distributed to local food outlets, who can then give meals to children free of charge. 

Mark Kelly, who runs the group alongside his wife Charlotte, decided to launch the initiative after Labour's motion to extend the food voucher scheme was rejected on Wednesday (21).

Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely was one of 322 who voted it down, as Isle of Wight Radio previously reported. 

Mark said Mr Seely's decision prompted him to act. He said:

"As soon as I saw Bob Seely has voted against it, that was the thing that got me going. He's for the Island and should be supporting us, not voting against it.

"All the MPs get massive amounts of money and there are people over here who are really struggling."

Isle of Wight Fish 'n' Chip shop Happy Haddock has already signed up to the scheme for the October half-term.

Both outlets in Shanklin and Sandown have been given a share of £500, donated from Socialising Buddies, for 500 portions of chips.

Staff have now agreed to upgrade the chips to kids meal deals.

Mark says since his initial rallying call on Facebook, he has had an influx of support. But, he does not want to stop there:

"What I want to do is expand this. At the moment we're only in Sandown and Shanklin where the two fish shops are. I want this to go Island-wide so everybody else can jump onboard.

"But we need from the community to come and do this as well from other businesses to support the kids with meals that they're not getting at the moment."

The Island Dance and Theatre Company, based in Shanklin and Godshill, has donated £150 - and Mark says some of those working on the set of TV show [The Beast Must Die], being filmed on the Island, are also doing a "whip round".

Any money left over from the October school holidays will be put towards the Christmas period.

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.

*Updated*

Since publication, T and D Kitchen in Ventnor and in Ryde have signed up to the scheme.

They will be given £250 to feed 250 children. 

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