MORE than 100 youngsters tucked in at an annual feast marshalled by Bolton's business community.

An afternoon of food and fun was had by those attending the third annual Seddy Bear's Picnic.

Staged in the grounds of Farnworth-based Seddon, the Bolton Family gathering was rounded off with an educational wildlife show.

Charity champions Urban Outreach help to organise the picnic, which supports the BL19 Packed Lunch Initiative, which give free school meals to deserving young people during the summer holidays.

Jonathan Seddon, managing director of the contracting giants, and Jon Lord, chief executive of Bolton at Home, were among those rolling up their sleeves to prepare sandwiches for the packed lunches drive last week.

Those packages are then delivered to 24 sites across the borough, from church halls to community centres, for collection.

Nicola Hodkinson, Seddon's business services director, said: "We proudly hosted this fantastic community event for the third time with the full support of all of the members of the Bolton Family.

"Engaging positively with local residents and ensuring we give back to the community is at the core of our business values and it’s a privilege to assist Urban Outreach with this event."

Mr Lord added: "Many families find the school holidays challenging and for some it's about providing lunches during a period when free school meals aren't available.

"I'm grateful for the work that Urban Outreach does to support vulnerable families and glad of the opportunity to make a small contribution to this initiative."

The Bolton Family has also been behind other schemes locally, such as the annual Bolton food bank drive.

They are also partners in the Working Wardrobe clothes drive, which provides suitable attire for people attending employment interviews.

Their efforts also saw 28,000 trees planted on moorland at Rivington.