The number of children receiving Free School Meals is expected to rise amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Currently, more than 2,100 children receive Free School Meals across Wychavon, a significant increase since January 2020.

However, the District Council has warned that this figure could rise further still as the full impact of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis becomes clear.

To combat this, Wychavon has committed £400,000 up until 2024 to improve social mobility, backing 24 projects with Social Mobility Grants to support disadvantaged children.

Cllr Chris Day, executive board member for Housing, Health and Wellbeing, said: “We’re committed to helping every child in Wychavon to fulfil their potential, whatever their circumstances.”

The funding boost comes following the success of Free School Meal grants at Abbey Park First School and Middle School in Pershore.

During the last two years, the schools received four grants, each worth up to £2,000.

The latest grant helped the school provide 93 eligible pupils with a snack and drink each day.

The funding has also been used to support extra places at the breakfast and after-school club.

Sam Faulkner, schools business manager at Abbey Park, said: “It goes down an absolute treat because otherwise some of those children might be watching their friends eat a snack when they don’t have one. It’s made a big difference.

“It’s nice to see the children eating alongside their peers and not feeling any different. Having that extra snack in the morning just keeps them going and gives them that bit more energy through to lunchtime, so it’s been brilliant.

“It’s not just about the food. It’s helping the families in so many ways. We’re taking the worry away from parents and guardians, enabling some of them to work different hours or take overtime because they know their children are safe and fed.”

Since November 2020, Wychavon has invested more than £73,000 to make sure all pupils are well fed at school.

This funding has supported 80 breakfast clubs in schools and other settings, as well as wraparound care.

The £400,000 commitment announced this week will be used to fund numerous projects, such as funding 67 laptops for pupils who did not qualify for the Government scheme.

Another will see Wychavon work with the NHS to screen more than 900 children across 29 schools for speech and language issues.