FAMILIES across Anglesey battling to cope with food price inflation in double figures are being given a helping hand by one of Wales’s biggest food distributors.

Harlech Foodservice are working with councils across North Wales to supply tasty and nutritious meals and snacks plus store cupboard essentials to take home.

It’s part of a Welsh Government scheme which sees pupils from Anglesey enjoy 12 days of activities at their schools in the first three weeks of the summer holidays.

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Pupils at Ysgol Cybi, Llanfawr, Tywyn and Bodedern primary schools have received free breakfast, morning snack and lunch as part of a morning of fun overseen by members of school staff.

Children are given opportunities every day to have a go at various sports and activities that they may have not had the opportunity to participate in previously, including golf, dodgeball, hockey, basketball, martial arts and yoga.

Key account manager Mark Keats, who has organised the deliveries, and other Harlech volunteers have helped school staff pack the bags of food and he said: “It’s gone down very well with the schools – they love it.

“It’s not just a question of delivering supplies, we also have to look at the nutritional value of what we provide because this is about healthy eating and at the same time keeping the children interested in what they’re eating.

“It’s no good providing nutritious food that they don’t like because they just won’t eat it so we have to make sure it is tasty as well because much of what we do now with schools and healthcare is about environmental and social benefit.

“This is funded by Welsh Government so we have to ensure that we’re seen to be giving back something to the communities where we operate whether it’s providing meals for schools or for the NHS in Wales.

“That’s a big consideration for us and it’s the right thing to do and at the same time we want to give them healthy food they want to eat and wherever possible we source that food as locally possible so that the money spent stays in Wales.”

Carla Desmond, healthy schools co-ordinator for Isle of Anglesey Council, said: “The scheme runs for the first 12 days of the summer holidays with 138 children registering to attend at the four primary schools with school staff dedicating their summer holidays to provide this.

“It is something we have done on Anglesey for four years now thanks to the well structured Bwyd a Hwyl scheme from WLGA and this year we have received additional funding for Bags Bwyd so at the end of the 12 days of activities we are able to send the pupils home with a bag of everyday essentials that may support some families with the current cost of living crisis.

“Hopefully these food bags will also get the children using their new cooking skills and enjoying the new tastes they have accepted at Food and Fun, sharing them with their families to further embed this information by actually making the recipes containing the ingredients.

“We have worked with the fabulous team at Harlech Foodservice to provide these take home bags as without them the logistics of providing 138 would have been impossible.

“They have supported us in finding value for money providing even more items for families to have.

“Essentially, it’s about giving children the information to make educated choices in the future about their health in terms of what they eat, and giving them the opportunity to try new foods so they know there is a huge variety of fruit and vegetables to suit different tastes.

“There is also a wide variety of sports to keep active and in turn lead healthier lifestyles.

“The course runs for 12 days across the summer holidays and on up to three days the parents and siblings are invited into the school to enjoy a heathy, nutritious and tasty meal with the children.

“In future we’re looking to add more schools, so any school which is interested - please contact your local co-ordinators for the scheme.”