CHILDREN and families throughout the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area will not go hungry during the summer school holidays.

The Cafe Inc initiative which was piloted in the local towns and villages during the Easter holidays and proved so successful will run throughout the summer break.

The service will run at various venues to provide a free, midday meal for local children, young people and families.

In the Cowden-Gelly district lunches will be available at Lochgelly West, Benarty, Foulford and Denend Primary Schools, Monday to Friday 11.45 to 1pm. And also at Kelty Centre; Benarty Centre; the Maxwell Centre, Cowdenbeath; Bowhill Centre; and Lochgelly Town Hall, Monday to Friday 11.45 to 1pm.

Fife councillors agreed the scheme as part of their budget for 2019/20 with a view to reducing poverty and helping towards a Fairer Fife. The scheme is open to all children, young people, parents and families during the summer holidays.

At the Cowdenbeath Area Committee meeting in May, convener Councillor Linda Erskine reported that the pilot had been a huge success and now it is being rolled up across Fife.

Cllr Judy Hamilton, convener of the Community and Housing Services Committee, said: "We know that there's a lot of pressure on all families during the school holidays. For some of those families to provide an extra meal at home for a child or a number of siblings creates a breaking point, where school holidays are dreaded. Foodbank referrals are increased as families are stretched to the limit.

"Hungry children – and the underlying causes of child-poverty are well-documented – zero-hour contracts; benefit sanctions; homelessness; ill-health; Universal Credit . We want to do something for those children who need our support NOW.

"We initially trialled this in a localised way, in the Lochgelly /Cowdenbeath area and it was hugely popular. This just hit home to us how vital this type of support can be to families."