Inverness charities support families during holidays as cost-of-living crisis takes hold
The holidays can be a hard time for many families as extra meals need to be provided for hungry mouths.
With inflation having reached its highest for supermarket groceries, this is even more of a struggle for many across the region.
Seeing the necessity for families to have somewhere to have a hot meal, Café 1668, in Inverness, decided to get in touch with Action for Children to run some events over the Easter holidays.
Over the past two weeks they have seen 80 people through the doors of the café in Church Street, as families have come in for a free meal and a chance for kids to take part in activities.
Carol Lawson, from Action for Children, said: “We've had four sessions running and we have been fully booked for each one.
“The whole aim is to bring families together, provide a hot meal, and build community capacity.
“It’s been really great, and we have had lots of positive feedback from everyone who has attended.”
For the attendees, having somewhere in the city to take the children for free over the holidays has been a big help.
One of the mums, Syvona Fraser, said: “I have really enjoyed it, and it definitely helps during the holidays.
“We wouldn’t be able to take the kids out unless this was here.”
Another, Elaine Torley, added: “It’s been brilliant. The staff here are so friendly and welcoming.
“I really struggle to find things to do with the kids over the holidays as everything costs so much. This has been a big help, and we have managed to get out of the house.
“It’s also been great getting to speak to other parents, and I even met an old school friend!”
With such a demand for the service, and them having to turn people away due to being so booked up, Café 1668 and Action for Children are now hoping that they can run a similar event over the summer holidays.
Roy Harrison, manager of Café 1668, said: “We’ve done it for two weeks and it has gone so well that I hope we can do it during the summer.
“We recognise the need that is there, especially at the moment. We already run a free meal service out with this project, and this time last year we did 20 meals at lunchtime – now we do nearly 50!
“People really need this at the moment, and to be able to provide something for the children too is great.”
Children were all given an Easter egg at the event, and the food for the meals was generously donated by local businesses and organisations.
Roy added: “The Inverness community supports what we do here really well.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to all those businesses that have donated food, and the resources – without them it wouldn’t be possible to do what we do.”
