FareShare Sussex & Surrey launches urgent appeal as families hit by summer hunger
With more than 51,000 children across Sussex and Surrey set to lose access to free school meals over the summer holidays, FareShare Sussex & Surrey has launched an urgent call for financial donations.
The charity’s Summer Hunger Appeal will raise vital funds to support thousands of families facing six weeks of increased food costs at a time where household budgets are already under intense pressure. Nationally, The Food Foundation’s 2026 food insecurity tracker found that four children in a classroom of 30 are experiencing food insecurity.
Dan Slatter, CEO at FareShare Sussex & Surrey, said: “The summer holidays should be a time for enjoyment, but for thousands of local families it brings the burden of higher food bills and increased childcare costs.
“When schools close for the break, free school meals stop overnight, creating an immediate gap in household budgets. Parents are left to find an extra £15 to £20 per child every week simply to keep food on the table.
“We provide essential regional infrastructure, helping hundreds of frontline organisations stay open, stretch their budgets and offer wraparound support to families who are finding it tough to make ends meet. Every donation helps us keep food moving through the summer months, making sure children have access to good, fresh food when household budgets are under the most pressure.”
According to Child Poverty Action Group, almost three-quarters of children in poverty live in working families, meaning holiday hunger is not limited to those out of work.
Heather Pearcey who helps run the PTA pantry at Elm Grove Primary school, said: “As the school holidays approach, many of the families we support are worried about how they will manage.
“Over the summer, they face the additional costs of meals at home, childcare, activities and preparing for the new school year. The food we receive from FareShare Sussex & Surrey plays a vital role in helping families get through the summer holiday with dignity.”
In 2025/26, FareShare Sussex & Surrey provided the equivalent of 4.55 million meals, supporting 36,730 people facing hunger every week.
Guildford-based St John’s Community Support (SJCS) said: “We launched SJCS because there was a deeply concerning need for food support during the summer holidays. The need hasn’t gone away – we simply couldn’t do this without FareShare Sussex & Surrey.”
A Bexhill mother, who uses the Marketplace community food larder weekly, said: “It helps out so much. It makes a big difference to the shopping bill which frees up money for things like shoes and all the other things the little one needs. I’d be lost without it to be honest.”
FareShare Sussex & Surrey rescues and redistributes surplus food to 307 charity and community groups across the counties, helping to combat hunger, prevent waste and reduce carbon emissions at the same time.
To find out more about FareShare Sussex & Surrey, please visit: https://faresharesussexandsurrey.org.uk/
To support the charity’s Summer Hunger Appeal, visit: https://faresharesussexandsurrey.org.uk/donate/
