The programme was made possible through donations from trusts and foundations, local authorities, businesses, politicians and kind-hearted members of the public. FITCAP is inviting residents and local businesses of Birmingham to continue supporting its programme so that it can expand to even more local neighborhoods in Birmingham and keep going beyond the summer.

The Fit and Fed campaign supports both the physical and social development of children and young people and gives an extra helping hand to those in need. The summer programme brought families from across Birmingham together as a community to enjoy a day of fun and sport, along with fresh, healthy meals.

According to reports, a third of parents have skipped a meal so that their children could eat during the school holidays and the UK experiences the highest levels of food insecurity in all of Europe. The Trussell Trust gave out over 2,600 food parcels between April and September last year with a third of those going to children. Up to 78% of the households that utilise food banks have experienced severe food insecurity in the past year, some going full days without eating. Over the summer the Fit and Fed campaign fed 12,000 children across over 100 local UK projects and the StreetGames charity is hoping to expand this programme even further.

Alison O’Connell MBE, CEO of FITCAP , said “Fit and Fed is an important campaign in Birmingham. In the UK, an estimated three million children experience holiday hunger over the summer holidays. Our sessions have been a great success. The kids have loved them and had a fantastic time meeting new friends, playing sports and getting a good meal at the same time. The Fit and Fed programme would not be possible without the donations from members of the public and local businesses, and we hope we can continue growing the programme to help more local families.”