How Burnley are taking care of vulnerable children

The pressure of food poverty during school holidays is a worry for many families so Burnley will again help to feed those in need in their community throughout February.

Both the Burnley Community Kitchen and Burnley Together community hub supported over 200 families during the Christmas holidays and will do so again this half-term in an area with about 7,000 children living in poverty.

"The impact of this on a child is significant, with poor nutrition affecting a child’s physical, mental and educational health," Matt Hargreaves, head of facilities at Burnley FC in the Community (BFCitC), said.

"We want to ensure these children do not go hungry, which is why it was so important to us to re-run the campaign we delivered successfully with our partners at Christmas."

As well as providing families with healthy and nutritious food, the club are offering vital assistance via the Schools Mental Wellbeing Project.

The scheme is delivered across 11 secondary schools in Burnley and Pendle to support students affected by the pandemic, exam stresses and concerns about their future.

Each school has a full-time Mental Wellbeing Worker employed by the project to provide a range of interventions in both one-to-one and group settings, working around reducing anxiety, improving mood, reframing negative thoughts and developing coping strategies.

Members of Burnley's Under-23 side wore their shirts inside out this week to show their support for Children's Mental Health Week and the "Inside Out" campaign.

The club and BFCitC continue to offer a range of other activities to help their community through the pandemic, including "Wellbeing Wednesdays", where online resources are helping with sleep hygiene, mindfulness and coping strategies.

Meanwhile, the "Moor for your Future" scheme provides a character development and employability programme for 16 to 25-year-olds.