A GROUP of teenagers have been inspiring parents to involve their children in budget recipes – after their Fun Food Box idea was cooked up during lockdown.

Members of Soul Leigh Youth Group at Christ Church, Pennington decided they wanted to run a community project during the school holidays.

They felt that after months of no school or friends during lockdown, they should beat boredom and isolation with something positive.

So they teamed up with Bridgewaters Community café to run a Fun Food Box project for families during August.

The young people could see that unemployment and short hours are putting financial pressure on many families and healthy home-cooked food, instead of expensive ready meals, would help reduce a weekly spend.

Each week the group of 13 youths boxed up the ingredients for two large family meals for 17 families in the area.

They also included crafts and puzzles to go in the Fun Box for each child.

The Soul Leigh Youth group did all of this while keeping to the social distancing rules and volunteers from Bridgewater’s Community Café collected the Fun Food Boxes and drove them to the homes.

Soul Leigh Youth and Bridgewaters Community Cafe applied for funding to Wigan Council and were given a grant of £800 from Leigh Centurions to help provide this service to the community.

Derek Beaumont, the owner of Leigh Centurions said: “Leigh Centurions are proud to provide funding to support Bridgewaters Community Café in partnership with the youth team at Christ Church Pennington.

“The club is dependent on the community and it is important to ensure we help those in need during these times.

“The funding is critical for COVID-19 recovery, reducing social isolation for young people during lockdown and reducing the likelihood of food poverty within Leigh neighbourhood.”

The project was also given some food by Asda Leigh.

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