A WORCESTER headteacher says he will work with the community to provide his pupils free school meal vouchers during the Christmas break.

Spencer Morris, head of Red Hill Primary School says all children eligible for free school meals will be provided with vouchers so no child goes hungry in the holidays.

Mr Morris said: “After we met as a leadership team before half term, we felt that no child should go hungry.

“That’s why we will ensure our free school meal children will not be left out over Christmas, despite the recent government announcement not to support the scheme during holidays.

“During the first lockdown, my staff were fantastic, delivering supermarket vouchers to the doors of the relevant families.

“Initially, there were some technical difficulties with the government online voucher scheme; we wanted to make certain our families were not left out or waiting, so we delivered direct to the families instead.

“We hope to be working with our local community, including St Martin’s Church, to ensure the scheme runs again over Christmas.

“If any local businesses would like to help or support us, please feel free to get in touch with me.”

This follows the outpouring of support from local businesses offering to feed hungry children this half term after MPs, including Robin Walker, voted against the provision of free school meals during the holidays.

Defending his decision to vote with the government city MP Mr Walker said it was drafted as a motion no government member could support, adding it had been “a classic opposition trick.”

The Worcester Labour Party has applauded businesses in the city that are helping to keep hungry children fed during the school holidays.

Local Labour Party leaders have called the levels of child hunger in Worcester "appalling" and called for all politicians to "do everything they can to eradicate it".