Thousands of meals are expected to be served to Fife families over the next fortnight in an initiative to tackle holiday hunger.
Fife Council’s Café Inc opens on Monday (today) in community centres and halls around the region.
When the family lunch club was trialled during the Easter holidays in the Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly area almost 7,000 meals were dished up.
The café – in 21 venues – also aims to curb isolation by giving families and children a place to meet during the holidays.
Fife announced its £400,000 plan to alleviate holiday hunger for some of the poorest children earlier this year, ensuring access to hot meals and packed lunches continues when schools close.
A Fife Council spokesperson said: “The scheme has been very popular this year, from the first pilot in Easter, through the summer and during the October holidays.
“The lunch clubs will now open for a few days during the Christmas holidays too, providing a place where families can come together for a hot meal or a sandwich in the middle of the day.
“The clubs help reduce isolation by giving parents a place to socialise, or for children to meet up with their friends, and is about so much more than just food.”
The café will open on Monday and Tuesday this week and next and families will be able to pick up three-day lunch boxes to bring home on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay.
Café Inc will operate in the following venues from 11.45am to 1pm on December 23, 24, 30 and 31 (unless otherwise stated):
Cowdenbeath area – Benarty Centre (packed lunches only), Kelty Centre, Lochgelly Town Hall, Bowhill Centre.
Dunfermline area – Tryst Centre (packed lunches only) and Dell Farquharson.
South and West Fife area – Parkgate Centre (Mondays only and packed lunches only) and Valleyfield Community Centre (Tuesdays only).
Kirkcaldy area – Linton Lane Centre (December 23 and 24 only), Hayfield Centre (December 30 and 31 only), Toll Centre, Templehall Community Centre and Park Road Centre.
Glenrothes area – Lomond Centre and Collydean Centre.
Levenmouth area – Sandybrae Centre (soup and packed lunches only), Buckhaven Centre and The Centre (Leven).
North East Fife area: St Monans Town Hall (December 23 and 24 only), Castlehill Community Centre, Cupar (soup and packed lunches and December 30 and 31 only), Gregory Hall, Tayport (soup and packed lunches only).