The well-established Project 500 initiative will give children across the city the chance to come together in the summer holidays to learn through varied activities and build solid friendships.
The children are identified and nominated by their schools and each day Coventry Rugby Community Team is expecting attendances of up to 40 each day.
The children are provided with a light breakfast if arriving early and hot nutritious lunches. At the end of the day they are provided with food parcels to take home containing a range of goods and fresh fruit and veg together with recipe cards.
At the end of the individual camps the children are also provided with ambient food boxes containing rice, pasta and other goods. This Year over 120 boxes will be donated by the Rapid Relief Team which donates to people in need.
Launched in 2019, Project 500 was originally set up to help 500 children aged under 16 and their families. Aimed at children receiving free school meals, refugees and young carers are among the groups of children who have benefited.
This year’s event will include weekly fun days. On Wednesdays, the days are also open to children with learning difficulties or physical disabilities.
On Thursdays, girls in the city can take advantage of the Try4Her sessions in which they can experiment with new sports or other activities of their choice.
Since its launch Project 500 has continued to expand, feeding more than 6,000 children in the city, delivering more than 250 food parcels and hosting 125 days of programmes across a wide range of popular sports.
Earlier this year Coventry MP Taiwo Owatemi highlighted the plight of constituents who were skipping meals so they could feed their children. Parents reported financial hardship amid the rising costs of nappies, baby clothes and balanced meals as well as the weekly shop.
Official figures show that around 40 per cent of children in Coventry are living in poverty with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation saying some families with two adults and two children would need at least an extra £12,800 a year just to even reach the breadline.
And a poll by Child Poverty Action Group highlighted the problem of children across the UK being priced out of schooling, with parents unable to keep up with the rising costs of school uniforms, transport and trips.
Jon Sharp, Owner and Executive Chairman of Coventry Rugby Club, said: “School holidays in particular can be a really worrying time for parents in Coventry. There are too many families on our doorsteps losing sleep over how they are going to manage to feed their children three healthy meals a day over the long summer holidays – not to mention keeping them entertained and mentally stimulated with various trips, excursions and activities during those weeks.”
Coventry Rugby’s CEO, Nick Johnston added “Project 500 has been a huge success in helping to address these issues. As well as allowing the children to learn through sport, build their confidence and build new friendships they are having fun out in the fresh air, getting plenty of exercise, learning new skills and eating nutritious meals every day.”
Delivered in partnership with other organisations including Charter Savings Bank and Morrisons Project 500 is one of several community activities organised by Coventry Rugby Club’s five-strong Community Department every year. Organised in collaboration with the club’s independent and nationally registered charity the Coventry Rugby Club Community Foundation it has enabled the club to extend its outreach and make a real impact on the most disadvantaged areas in the city.
