AN initiative to help youngsters in need has launched a shopping voucher scheme.

The Pickering Food in School Holiday (FISH) initially started as a summer holiday lunch club in the town and grew into a bigger and better scheme that has worked with schools, charities, churches, councillors, local businesses and the Ryedale Foodbank.

Karen Pattison, a lay worker for Pickering Methodist Church, said the overall aim had always with the aim of helping families who are in need in our area.

"There has been more publicity about this recently with the cost of living crisis, but Pickering Food In School Holidays has been helping children who receive free school meals since before the Covid Lockdown with food parcels and then vouchers.

"We now have a local voucher scheme, similar to the Pickering Vouchers which operate in so many of our local businesses but our vouchers can be spent in one of five local food outlets who have been supporting us for the past couple of years. "Our partner businesses are Dunnings Butchers, Potter Hill Fisheries, Russell’s bakery and café, The Old Weigh refill shop, and Taylors fruit and veg shop, all providers of good quality food in Pickering Town centre."

Karen added: "We ask schools to send a letter to all families receiving Free School Meals and those families can apply for help. In this way, we hope to reach any family in the area who find themselves struggling to feed their children and in the summer holidays, we paid out over £3,400 to 86 families with 191 children.

"This work has been funded by generous giving from people in Churches Together in Pickering District and grants, but as costs are rising, so is need and we are trying to raise funds again.

Karen added: "If you would like to support this local charity, please contact us via Facebook Pickering Food in School Holidays. Cheques made payable to FISH can be sent to Pickering Methodist Church, Potter Hill, Pickering YO18 8AA."