A petition for Wandsworth Council to extend free school meals over the Christmas period has received over 900 signatures in 3 days.

The petition, created by Wandsworth Labour, says it wants to ensure that every child eligible to free school meals receives them over the holiday period.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour MP and Tooting resident, said:

"Sign the Wandsworth Labour petition, calling on the Council to ensure the 5,000 children who receive free school meals are eligible this half term."

Wandsworth Council recently announced a £10,000 food voucher scheme but some residents feel it isn't enough.

Only children who have a social worker or are receiving support from the borough's children's services department are eligible for assistance in the scheme.

One resident who signed the petition said: "Appaling that free school meals this half term only applies to children with a social worker or known to Children's Services. Any child who is hungry should receive food."

Another resident said: "Lived in Wandsworth most of my childhood and had some friends who relied on school meals, it cannot be underestimated how important they are to some families, or how fortunate some of us are to not be dependent on them."

A council spokesman told Nub News:

"The council has already agreed a Covid-19 half term holiday food support package for vulnerable children from some the borough's lowest income families.

"This mirrors a highly successful scheme launched at the start of the pandemic which has provided tens of thousands of supermarket food vouchers to ensure children eligible for free school meals did not go hungry during lockdown.

"Wandsworth was the first local authority in the country to get its support scheme up and running.

"We are keeping the situation under constant review and will take the necessary steps to support our most vulnerable children during the school holidays."

You can view the petition HERE.