A total of 21 churches in the Diocese of Liverpool are taking part in the Feast of Fun programme, a series of activities over the summer holidays, from play schemes and breakfast clubs to cookery classes, community barbecues and curry nights. 

Feast of Fun is run in the city by Together Liverpool, the partnership between Church Urban Fund and the Diocese of Liverpool.

Dr Naomi Maynard, who is Food Insecurity Lead Executive at Together Liverpool, said: “It has been wonderful to see the creative ways churches are looking to tackle holiday hunger and connect with families in their communities this summer.

“For many churches this will be the first in-person activities they have hosted in 18 months, often using their church yards, local parks and church halls to put on events in a safe way.  

“We are particularly encouraged to see churches working in partnership with other local groups to bring communities together, cementing new partnerships forged during the pandemic. “ 

The summer holiday scheme is the second Feast of Fun programme in Liverpool this year after 2,164 children were fed over the February half term through food hamper deliveries made by 24 church-run schemes.

Feast of Fun is being run as Micah Liverpool, the ecumenical social justice charity based at Liverpool Cathedral, reported that the number of food parcels handed out at the start of the summer holidays rose by nearly a third compared to the last week of term.

A total of 364 parcels were given out in the first week of the summer holidays, compared to 277 in the last week of the summer term.