BLACKBURN with Darwen Council has approved the spending of £737,760 to provide activities and hot meals for the children of hard-up families during the school holidays in 2023/24.

The cash comes from the government's Holiday Activity and Food programme.

The grant will be spent supporting children entitled to free school meals with holiday clubs.

The spending of the allocation was rubber stamped by Thursday's meeting of the council's executive board.

Education and children's services boss Cllr Julie Gunn said: "Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families.

"The HAF programme is a response to this issue, enabling free places at holiday clubs for children who are entitled to free school meals.

"These clubs provide physical activity, a hot meal and enrichment activities alongside education and support opportunities for parents and carers.

"Evidence shows that free holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people.

"The aim is to make free places available to children eligible for free school meals for at least four hours a day, four days a week and for six weeks in school holidays during 2023/2024."

Opposition Conservative group leader Cllr John Slater said: "We fully support this."