Free packed lunches initiative proves a great success

A community initiative providing free packed lunches throughout the summer holidays for children in Hadfield, Padfield and Tintwistle has been hailed a great success. 

Lunch packs - which included a sandwich, fruit, salad, snacks, a drink and a fun activity book - were available to collect every Wednesday afternoon throughout the break to all children in the area. 

The service was provided by Carmel Church in Hadfield, in conjunction with Hadfield Coming Together Group. 

Padfield borough councillor Ollie Cross has thanked everyone involved for providing the service, which has "gone down a treat" and distributed over 400 free packed lunches to keep local schoolchildren fed over the holiday period. 

Cllr Cross (pictured below) said: "I just want to place on record my immense gratitude and eternal appreciation to Carmel Church for the free children's packed lunch service they have provided over the course of the summer holiday period.

"Over the past seven weeks, the team at Carmel in conjunction with Hadfield Coming Together Group have managed to distribute over 400 free packed lunches to local school children in Hadfield, Padfield & Tintwistle. 

"Thanks to Angie, Emily, Faith & Gill (also Holly, Jade, Charlie & Kenya-Mae) for all your hard work, time and commitment to the project over the past few weeks. Your tireless efforts and utter selflessness is greatly appreciated by everyone in our local community."

He added: "The packed lunches and the activity packs seem to have gone down a treat. The feedback from many of the local families this service has benefitted over the past few weeks has been deeply encouraging.

"I'm thrilled to hear that local children have enjoyed the packed lunches and reading the variety of activity books, colouring in challenges and various word searches over the past few weeks too.

"I also want to take this opportunity to thank my High Peak Borough Council colleague Cllr Ed Siddall for kindly donating funds out of his Councillor Initiative Fund to help fund this amazing project. Thanks once again to Carmel Church for providing this excellent service over the past few weeks and for everything that you do for our local community!"