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'My pride was hurt when I had to use a food bank, but there's no money left'

Yasmin Akpinar with daughter Ayla
Yasmin Akpinar with daughter Ayla

For Yasmin Akpinar, 21, from Shepton Mallet in Somerset, and her three-year-old daughter, Ayla, free school meals have been a blessing during the pandemic.

Before Covid-19, Akpinar says feeding herself and Ayla wasn’t an issue. But a month before lockdown Akpinar's contract as a care worker finished and she decided to spend more time with Ayla. “It was a really big shock. As a single parent on benefits, it’s quite difficult.” When a subsequent opportunity in retail fell through, she was suddenly relying on family and charity for basics like bread and milk. “I’m lucky to have a supportive family,” says Akpinar.

At preschool Ayla, who qualifies for free school meals, is given breakfast, a morning snack, a cooked lunch, another snack and tea each day. The children often cook together with their teachers and play a role in choosing the menu. “Her favourite is shepherd’s pie,” says Akpinar.

Yet last week the government refused to extend the vital lifeline through October half term, leaving families up and down the country in a precarious position.

Overnight, Akpinar found herself having to pick up the pieces. With her own long-standing mental health issues exacerbated by the pandemic, providing healthy, homemade meals for both her and her daughter became incredibly difficult. “When you’re living on a budget with Universal Credit, it’s so much cheaper to buy frozen food.”

Her situation is echoed around the country. One of the worst side effects of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the rise in food insecurity. In April food banks reported their “busiest ever” month, while millions of families who qualify for free school meals found themselves relying on their continuation during the school holidays.

This half term, charities have stepped in to help and Akpinar, who had previously worked for Connect Centre in Wells, a charity which started delivering cooked meals and food packages during lockdown, was able to receive them.

Additionally, the charity Transforming Lives for Good extended its Make Lunch clubs, which provide free communal lunches, to include food and welfare parcels. Since the pandemic began, almost 200 churches, partnered with Transforming Lives for Good, have provided 437,000 meals – including a significant proportion to families who have never received food aid before.

While Ayla has been back on school meals this autumn, the half term brings a new set of challenges. Last week, Premier League footballer Marcus Rashford reignited his campaign for the government to extend free school meals until at least Easter 2021 (he had previously fought for free school meals during the summer holidays). His petition has almost reached one million signatures. (A separate petition is calling for an end to MPs’ expenses of up to £25 for food if staying outside their constituency or London; it has also almost reached one million signatures.)

Last week, a Labour motion was voted down by the Conservatives, who argue that their promise of £63m to local authorities is sufficient; the children’s commissioner says the that money will get wrapped up in bureaucracy, whereas the Free School Meals programme is simple and direct. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, food vouchers have been made available during the holidays.

Consequently, thousands of cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops have pledged to cook meals and give produce to anyone in need.

free school meals  - Christopher Furlong/Getty Images 
free school meals - Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Akpinar hopes to visit a nearby cafe offering free home-cooked meals during half term. “I’ve got my younger sister here this week, so I’ll need to feed two children, not just one. It’s that horrible time at the end of the month where there’s no money left; I don’t get paid for two weeks.”

The chief executive of Transforming Lives for Good, Tim Morfin, warns that the future of food insecurity is stark. "If action is not taken to mitigate increasing levels of child hunger, starting with full and permanent holiday provision and making the temporary £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent, then an already increasing disadvantage gap will surge to levels that will take years, even decades, to undo,” he says.

Akpinar has seen it herself. “I’ve been on both sides," she explains,"not being able to feed myself and being able to buy whatever I want. No child should have to go hungry. It’s not about managing money, it’s about not having enough to manage.”

The first time Akpinar used a food bank was two years ago, after moving into a new home with Ayla, and she admits to feeling a sense of pride that almost stopped her. “It was a sense of ‘I shouldn’t rely on other people’. My pride was hurt. But I knew it wasn’t just about me.” It’s a common feeling, but Akpinar believes it’s important to set those thoughts aside. “Food banks and charities are really understanding. A lot of the time people working there have been in that situation, they get it, and if you want to stay anonymous, you can.”

With Christmas on the horizon, many families will struggle. Akpinar admits finding a new job in the current climate, particularly as a single parent who can't drive, is tough. “Jobs are few and far between, even though I'm a qualified careworker,” says Akpinar, who says she is hopeful a recent opportunity will materialise.

With Christmas on the horizon, many families will struggle. For Akpinar it’s an especially tough time financially, with several family birthdays during the festive period. “It’s a real struggle, and it pulls on your emotions. My beautiful child deserves the world but I can’t spend that amount of money. It’s tough.”