Beyond Housing is supporting a scheme to provide free lunches for local children who are eligible for free school meals, which has been set up by the Ladies of Steel group in partnership with Dormanstown Primary Academy and local volunteers.
The Ladies of Steel group has played a significant role within the community for a number of years, delivering weekly youth clubs for local children, parties and community days.
Beyond Housing has helped the scheme by donating £450 to fund 300 meals at a cost of £1.50 each. The scheme is currently in its fourth week and the group has secured additional funding to operate for a further two weeks.
Beyond Housing Community Connector Rachael Crooks became aware of the project while speaking with local community groups to find out what kind of support they were offering during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
Rachael joined group members and volunteers, along with Beyond Housing colleagues Dave Sharp, Jacqueline Dale and Kevin Hughes, to help deliver some of the meals to local households and said: “I really loved taking part in this initiative from Ladies of Steel, which I believe is the only scheme of its kind to be operating in Redcar and Cleveland. It is helping those in hardship through the weekend and it gives families something to look forward to. The mothers I met were all very grateful.”
Tracy O’Neill, Executive Director of Customers and Communities at Beyond Housing, added: “I’m pleased that Beyond Housing has had an opportunity to support this very worthwhile scheme which is helping to tackle the issues of family and child poverty, isolation and general wellbeing at this very difficult time.”