A CHARITY in Bolton is to hand out a free lunch to 1,000 of the town's poorest children every day during the summer holidays.

Urban Outreach will give an estimated 30,000 meals out during the six weeks that schools are on holiday.

The aim of the project, which was launched last year, is to help families who struggle to make ends meet during the holidays.

The lunches will be distributed from 18 children’s centres, churches and community venues every day, chosen to be close to families Urban Outreach think will benefit most from the help.

Urban Outreach says the project, Bolton Lunches 15 (BL15), will cost about £30,000, or £1 per lunch. The charity is now aiming to recruit an army of volunteers to help package and distribute the lunches every morning between 7.15am and 8.30am from July 27 to September 4.

Dave Bagley, Urban Outreach's chief executive and a qualified chef, said: "Following last year’s success with BL14, we’re delighted to be able to provide packed lunches again this year to children in families that struggle to make ends meet during the long school summer holidays.

"In Bolton there are 8,500 children that the state deem to be deserving of a free meal during term time.

"What changes in the breaks? That was our thought process and we hope to reach even more children this year with more locations."

Last year 3,000 individual children received a school meal during the summer, and the charity is hoping to reach even more this time.

Every school pupil in the town will receive a leaflet from Bolton Council promoting the initiative before term ends.

The meals will consist of a ham, cheese or tuna roll, a pack of cheese biscuits or crisps, a cereal bar, a carton of apple or orange juice and a piece of fruit.

Christine Baldwin, community life champion at Asda in Astley Bridge, said: “We have had a long-standing partnership with Urban Outreach and are pleased that we are able to support their food poverty initiatives. BL15 is a great example of communities getting together to help those less fortunate and we’re proud to be working with other local businesses as part of this.”

The Bishop of Bolton, Chris Edmondson, will be joining the team to help put the meals together.

He said: "I full support Urban Outreach's summer initiative to supply thousands of meals to children across Bolton, who during term time rely on free school meals, in order that they don't go hungry in the coming holidays. It begins in earnest on July 27th."

The Asda Foundation has granted the Salop Street-based charity £2,000 in support.

The Seddon Group and TrustFord are providing vans to distribute the lunches and volunteers from Barclays, United Utilities, Bolton at Home, Warburtons and Vensons Automative Solutions will help make the lunches.

Donations and offers of volunteering have been received from many churches and benefactors.

Last year nearly 600 lunches were distributed each day in a van and collected by families who need them.

To donate to the cause or volunteer your time visit www.urbanoutreach.co.uk/boltonlunches or call the charity on 01204 385848.