CHALVEY COMMUNITY centre is offering free breakfasts and lunches to schoolchildren five days a week over the summer holidays.

The charitable drive, Jeena’s Kitchen, which is run by Slough-based charity Jeena, is staffed entirely by volunteers and is supported by charitable donations of money and food.

Project Co-ordinator, Rebecca Joy, of Cippenham, said: “For children who rely on school meals, there’s a void over the summer holidays.

“We wanted to ensure that children didn’t lack hot cooked meals.”

Breakfast is served between 9am to 10.30am. Activities are then hosted until lunch is served at noon.

Mrs Joy, who works at Beechwood School, said: “Through talking with students, I often get the sense that they aren’t looking forward to the summer holidays.

“Finances are a struggle, food is a problem. They aren’t going away anywhere, and have nothing to do.”

Jeena hosts activities at the community centre between breakfast and lunch.

Volunteer Ambika Shurma, 20, said “We do activities such as football, nutrition workshops and musical chairs. We also try and make food interactive and engaging through things such as wrap-making competitions. We keep things healthy, and help them concentrate.”

More than 40 people have volunteered to man the kitchen, with 18 on-site each day.

They serve between 20-60 children each day. The project has been running since Monday, July 24, and so far has served over 325 meals to 61 individual children aged two-16.

Jeena is focused on supporting and protecting people, particularly women and young people, under threat from traditions or customs that could lead to harm, such as female genital mutilation, honor crimes and forced marriage. They also work in the wider community through projects such as this.

Chalvey Community Centre is located on The Green, Slough. The kitchen gratefully accepts donations of food to help keep the breakfasts running.