A group of Lancashire brands are on a moral crusade to curb child poverty.

As the Resolution Foundation estimates that 500,000 kids will be left in poverty between this year and next year, utilities marketplace Love Energy Savings is on a mission to recruit fellow brands for a moral mission to feed children in need during the remainder of the summer holidays.

Love Energy Savings is teaming up with other businesses throughout Greater Manchester this summer to provide free school meals to children.

Statistics show that a third of children in Bolton are living below the poverty line.

Greater Manchester is one of the 10 constituencies in the UK where 50 per cent of children are living in poverty, with those in Bolton West being some of the hardest hit.

Due to these statistics, Love Energy Savings is determined to make a positive impact in their local area and have united with other businesses with one goal in mind – to ensure the children living in Bolton won’t go hungry this summer.

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Phil Foster, CEO of Love Energy Savings, said: “To regenerate Bolton for a brighter future, we must invest in our youth to give them the best start we possibly can.

“We need to do this across everything from education and life skills all the way through to work.

“However, children can't concentrate when they're starving and learning to skip meals is not one of the life lessons, we need to be teaching them.

"When the cost of living is so high that increasing numbers of parents aren't able to provide the basics for their families, despite doing their absolute best, as brands, that's when we all have to sit up, take notice and do what we can to help.”

Donated food has come from a number of fantastic brands across Lancashire, including Robinsons, Dewlay, and Lancashire crisps among others and sandwiches are freshly made each day by employees at Love Energy Savings' on-site cafe.

The campaign has seen hundreds of people come together to assist struggling families in Bolton. Meals are being distributed to those who need them each working day throughout the school holidays by children's charity Bolton Lads and Girls Club, which has witnessed the knock-on impacts of the cost-of-living crisis first-hand in the Bolton area.

According to workers there, this project has come just in time.

Olivia Dunne, an MA student and Senior Playworker at BLGC said: “I’ve seen a huge increase in the number of students coming in who haven’t eaten breakfast and it’s pretty clear that the meals we provide here are the only meals many are having during the day.”

“Asda gave us lots of food hampers and when that ended recently, we haven’t stopped getting requests from parents about when they’ll start again, or if there’ll be any more.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Lads and Girls Club said: “We’re really fortunate that we’ve received some HAF funding to help us provide lunches for children on school meals that are here with us for Holiday Club.

“However, we’re mindful that there are some families that don’t quite meet the threshold for Free School Meals that still need assistance.

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“We have Junior members and Senior members either on Holiday Club, or evening sessions that are struggling and may get their only meal that day from BLGC – so donations like these from Love Energy help us to ensure we can feed any children and young people in need.

“Our Targeted Youth Services Team that also works with some of our most vulnerable young people have been delivering them to families in need too.”

To access a free meal, contact Bolton Lads and Girls Club by phoning 01204 540100 or emailing enquiries@blgc.co.uk.

If you’re a brand who wants to get involved with the scheme, get in touch with Love Energy Savings by emailing pr@loveenergysavings.com.