Meet Rea: a working Mum whose community is her lifeline

Liverpool 6 Community Centre provides families with engaging activities and balanced meals during the school term and holiday period. They also offer a school uniform bank and a food bank that supports families in putting nutritious meals on the table using fresh, tinned, frozen and microwaveable food.

L6 goes further during the school holidays, running a ​‘kids club’ with educational activities and a food service, supported by weekly Felix surplus food deliveries from the Merseyside depot. 

They support families with two out of three meals a day, three days a week – giving kids breakfast and a hot lunch in place of free school meals. 

L6 believe in food education. At the club, kids learn about preparing and cooking their own meals. It’s a real support for working parents juggling jobs and childcare through the long summer break.

Rea is a working mum who relies on Liverpool 6 Community Centre to support her family, especially through the school holidays. She’s always known of L6, growing up nearby, but it was a friend’s recommendation that brought her to the kids club. Now she can’t imagine life without it.

Rea continues, ​“It just keeps them going and keeps them off the streets. It’s good for socialising, keeps their brains and bodies active and great for their nutrition. It keeps them safe; I’m just at peace if you know they’re here. It’s a great community; everyone’s like a family. It really is such a help, especially when trying to balance childcare through the holidays.”

Rea is open about the pressure of rising food costs and keeping up with the weekly shop, especially when the kids are home all summer.

“It’s just the money worries these days. The cost of living has gone up, and it’s hard on families! Those big family shops are becoming harder and harder for everyone to afford. I went to our big supermarket yesterday and it came to £150 …and that wasn’t even included meat! Then 4–5 days later, you need another shop! Food goes dead quick, especially in a house full of kids. Everything’s gone sky rocker high! It’s so stressful as a parent.”

The L6 food club takes breakfast, lunch and a snack off Rea’s plate, leaving her to focus on one meal a day. It means she’s less worried about a balanced diet, and with the variety of meals L6 has on offer, Rea says her kids are happier for it.

“The kids’ food club is important, because it gives them the fuel to make the most of their days. It’s peace of mind as a parent, as you know they’re having balanced meals. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it kickstarts brain activity. One of my kids’ favourite breakfasts is cereal, pancakes with fruit and jam on toast, which they have with their friends at the L6.”

Food costs aren’t the only pressure. The extended summer also comes with more activities to entertain the kids. L6 gives children the social skills and the chance to try new activities, such as crafts and games. The children were even recently involved in a half term Easter performance!

“My kids, Evie and Blake, love being outdoors and taking part in activities like camping. They just love being kids! They enjoy going out with their friends, which is why they love attending the L6 Community Centre. The money we save with the L6 ​‘kids club’ goes towards more family activities; that quality time over the summer holidays is so important to reconnect with your kids and have a laugh.”

Rea also uses L6’s food bank, keeping her cupboards stocked with the basics so there’s always something to fall back on. Thanks to the Felix surplus food that comes through L6, that safety net stretches further.

“Cupboard essentials really are just that, essential! If you’ve got nothing in your fridge, you really rely on them for a quick family meal. In our house, I’d be able to whip up beans on toast pretty quickly for the kids. It makes you feel like you’ve always got something to hand to feed the family.”