'Incredible' response to chippy's £1 kids meal initiative

A chip shop owner has said the response to its £1 meal initiative for children over the holidays has been “incredible”.

Sarah Lewis runs Mel’s Chippy in Penygroes, Carmarthenshire, alongside her husband.

Throughout the summer holidays, £1 meals for children have been provided to help parents who may be struggling with the increase in the cost of living.

“It can be a very difficult time for families, it’s a very long holiday and we live in an area where there’s a very high percentage of free school meals,” Ms Lewis told Sky News.

The aim of the South Wales-based chippy’s meal scheme is to replicate what might be on offer at the school canteen, with a drink and piece of fruit also included.

“The response has been incredible – both from people using the service which is great because that’s what it’s there for, but also the response of the community in keeping it going,” Ms Lewis added.

“Obviously, it’s not cost-effective for me as a business to give out meals for £1, obviously it costs a little bit more than that and I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to run it for the whole six weeks.”

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But the “heart-warming” support from customers and other businesses including suppliers has meant the scheme can continue for the rest of the school holidays.

“We’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis where everything is expensive, everybody’s food bill is expensive, everyone’s energy bill is expensive and there isn’t a lot of spare cash to go around,” Ms Lewis said.

“So this seems like a great way to help everybody and not only that, unlike food banks or other, more formal community initiatives, there’s no red tape, there’s no forms, there’s no ID needed, there’s no stigma.

“People can just come in and ask for a £1 kids meal and that’s what they get.”

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The scheme has been so popular that the chippy owners hope to bring it back during future holidays.

“We hope to run this scheme again and hopefully some other schemes to reach different groups in the community,” Ms Lewis said.

“As small individuals, we can’t really set government policy or make great change and sometimes it’s easier to bring it back and look at the small picture and do small things which create a ripple effect.”

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