UKHarvest helping to reduce the holiday hunger gap with free meals for children

Due to rising household food costs, many families are struggling to ensure that their children are receiving the food they need during the school holidays. This is a concern for many with nearly 20,000 children in West Sussex who are eligible for free school meals losing that much needed and reliable food source during the school holidays, according to HAF Annual Report 2024/25 from West Sussex County Council.  

This means that many local households are experiencing Holiday Hunger Gaps, leaving children at a nutritional and social disadvantage. 

UKHarvest recognises the need to help support families during the five-week break and is offering free children's meals throughout the summer holidays 2026 at their new community cafe in Bognor, Nourish Hub Cafe at The Phoenix Centre on Westloats Lane. Every adult who spends at least £5 can claim up to three free children’s meals: a cold lunch box or a hot meal, snack and drink. 

Catherine Monk, head of Southway Primary School in Bognor sees how so many families are looking for additional support during the holidays. Catherine has shared ‘UKHarvest, The Phoenix Community Centre, Southway Primary School, Stepping Stones and The Regis School work in partnership to support families across our community, helping to reduce food insecurity and provide vital support. Together, we endeavour to make a real difference to local people by ensuring access to food, opportunities and hope when it is needed most.’

Not only can households receive free children’s meals, but every Wednesday throughout the holidays, there will be a free stay and play session taking place in the sports hall offering access to NOURISHed Free Food Education activities, next to the cafe. The charity is also offering a "pay it forward" donation at all points of sale for families who want to support others.  

Director of United Charities, the charity that operated the community space at The Phoenix Centre, Charlie Chan says that “Food has a wonderful way of bringing people together. It’s great to see UKHarvest, The Phoenix Centre and local families coming together to create opportunities for people to connect, build relationships and have fun over the summer holidays. Removing the barrier of cost means more people can gather in spaces where friendships form, people feel a sense of belonging and community life comes alive.”

Lauren Stoner, Interim COO at UKHarvest is passionate about supporting our communities by creating accessible ways for children to access the food they need. Lauren shared that “We want to make sure that every young person has access to fresh, healthy food with at least two portions of fruit and vegetables throughout school holidays. It’s a national problem which we are hoping to reduce locally for now. Our team at Nourish Hub in London has been offering free children’s meals in the holidays for a couple of years with outstanding success. We are hoping to ensure that we can create ways for families to enjoy a day out without breaking the bank and provide free food for their children in the process.”  

Nourish Hub Cafe is fully accessible, has plenty of free parking and is a five-minute walk from the nearest bus stop. There is a play area for small children, highchairs and a space to reheat food for babies and toddlers.

Working with the community engagement manager, Emma Babanou at The Phoenix Centre, it’s clear there is a need to provide more support for the residents across Bognor. Emma has worked in the community for 19 years and said “Holiday Hunger is a real challenge for so many people. We’re so pleased to be able to support UKHarvest with their free children’s meals and Stay and Play session this summer and know that this will bring fantastic support for those looking for ways to ensure their children are fed and have fun activities to take part in.”

Nourish Hub Cafe opened at The Phoenix Centre in January 2026. The cafe's aim is to bring the community together with budget-friendly food and drinks. All proceeds from the cafe go to support UKHarvest. To find out more about UKHarvest and the work the food rescue and food education charity does, visit their website www.ukharvest.org.uk or follow their socials @ukharvest.