COUNCIL commits £84k worth of grant funding to alleviate food poverty.

Ensuring that hungry families are fed over the Christmas holidays is councils 'key priority' councillors say.

Eastleigh Borough Council's grant funding is being channelled mostly to the Borough's three food banks to support low-income families during the holiday.

The Council is also said to be working with other partners, including the voluntary sector, to ensure that support is available.

Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, Councillor Keith House, said: “The health and wellbeing of all our residents is the Council’s number one priority and we are playing our part to ensure that no child in the Borough will go hungry this Christmas.

"The Borough’s foodbanks and other support organisations do an excellent job and, at this particular time, it is the Council’s role to ensure that they have the resources they need to fill the gap in food supply that some families experience during these school holidays.

"As we head further into the winter months, we are calling on Hampshire County Council and the Government to also pledge real support for all our hard-pressed residents."

Working with its partners, the Council is said to have played a key role in coordinating the response of the foodbanks and other support for vulnerable community members during the coronavirus lockdown.

This support is now set to continue and be ramped up to ensure that food supplies reach the people who need them most.

The Borough’s foodbanks are located at Hedge End Food Centre, Kings Community Church, Upper Northam Road; Hound Basics Bank, Queens View, Netley and the Eastleigh Basics Bank in Wells Place in Eastleigh Town Centre and always welcome donations.