First, please feel free to download & share this track. You can do so for free, however, any funds raised from the sales are donated to The Children's Society's Campaign to reduce food hunger in the UK.

I hope today finds you safe, well and that your cupboards are filled with enough food to stop you and your family from becoming hungry.

I live in Wales & am incredibly proud of the Welsh Government, who HAVE pledged to distribute meal tokens during school holidays, to low income families, right through Winter, until April 2021. It is the humanitarian thing to do. Kindness, empathy and safeguarding each other at a time when a large number of children in our country are facing the threat of food poverty, is essential.

However, in an attempt to strategically address child food poverty across the UK, the Labour party proposed a motion within the House of Commons to provide a £15 per week free school meal token during school holidays for those living in low income families, to help during this difficult time.

I'm sure you'll agree with Marcus Rashford MBE, the sportsman who has led a campaign to end child food poverty, bad enough our children live in fear of what the future might look like, we do not want to add to their anxiety by letting any of them go to bed hungry.

Unbelievably, The Tory party voted AGAINST this motion with 322 votes to 261. Put politics aside, and just think about that for a moment - 322 Tory MP's representing their constituencies, voted AGAINST a £15 per week voucher for child meals during school holidays, right in the middle of the second wave of pandemic lockdowns.

So, this pushed me across the line and I wondered, what can I do to show my disdain & raise awareness, hence this song - and furthermore, what can WE do to make change?

Friends, here is a link to The Children's Society. They are campaigning hard to end child poverty as a collective voice and lobbying Rishi. We can support their work in many ways, even just by signing up to their mailing list : www.childrenssociety.org.uk/.../ending-child-poverty

This link is to the petition set up by Marcus Rashford, signed already by over a million people to lobby parliament in reducing child food poverty in this country - It will take you a few minutes to sign it and your voice could make all the difference -
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/554276/

Locally, food banks are doing all they can. Now, I know many say that if we donate to food banks it somehow lets the government off their responsibility - Let's be clear, nobody wants to have to go to a food bank but the bottom line is this, if you want to prevent the immediacy of hunger in these difficult times for the families in your local area, then this is a very practical hands on way of doing it.

If you can't afford to donate food or funds, donate your time or at the very least, your support. I guarantee you that your help will be greatly appreciated.

If you do not believe in food banks for whatever reason - help out at the food distribution of your local church instead - volunteer, give of yourself, galvanise action - write to your MP - write a poem or a song and share it - raise awareness - unless off course, you agree with the 322 MP's at the House of Commons, whose meals, ironically, are subsidised at a reduced rate all year round.

I wish you well, with nothing but love and I pray that the government wake up to the importance of safeguarding the basic human rights for children.

Take good care, be kind to yourself & to each other
Cheryl Beer