Croydon youth charity offers free hot meals for kids over winter

A charity working with young people in Croydon is offering free hot meals for people attending its youth centre this winter.

Young people who attend any weeknight or weekend session at Legacy Youth Zone in Whitehorse Road, Croydon, will receive a free hot meal from its café.

The charity said the new winter scheme has the potential to offer free meals to 600 young people each week.

This comes as a new report by youth charity OnSide shows that one in four young people have stopped taking part in activities or hobbies because of the cost of living, with 69 per cent of young people surveyed saying they were concerned about the crisis.

Myke Catterall,  Legacy Youth Zone’s chief operating officer said: “Here in Croydon, we understand how difficult it is for families to get the help that they need. 

“This is heightened in the current cost of living crisis we are faced with. Which is why this offer will benefit so many families that need that extra support this winter!”

Legacy Youth Zone is open six days a week, offering young people affordable activities like sport, art, music and cooking as well as providing access to support from its trained team of youth workers.

The charity offers subsidised £1 hot meals to young people all year round, but with additional funding from charity Ajaz.org, as well as the private equity investment firm ICG, the charity is now able to offer the meals for free this winter.

Pictured top: The Legacy Youth Zone in Croydon and Legacy Youth Zone’s chief operating officer Myke Catterall (Picture: Google Street View/Legacy Youth Zone Croydon)