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In Pictures: Cafes and communities come together to feed children

The support for Marcus Rashford’s campaign comes less than a week after the Commons defeated a bid to offer free school meals over the half term.
The support for Marcus Rashford’s campaign comes less than a week after the Commons defeated a bid to offer free school meals over the half term. The support for Marcus Rashford’s campaign comes less than a week after the Commons defeated a bid to offer free school meals over the half term.

It was all hands on deck on Monday as communities across the UK offered free breakfasts, sandwiches and lunch bags to struggling school children.

On the first day of the half term holiday, cafes, councils and community centres threw their weight behind a campaign backed by England footballer Marcus Rashford to extend free school meal provisions.

Their support comes less than a week after the Commons rejected a bid to continue the scheme over the half term by 322 votes to 261.

Child collects packed lunch bags
Child collects packed lunch bags A child collects lunch bags (Peter Byrne/PA)
Sarah Marriott hands a lunch pack to a young person
Sarah Marriott hands a lunch pack to a young person Sarah Marriott, co-owner of the Brunch Box in Deal, Kent, hands a lunch pack to a young person (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Helen Manning prepares sandwiches at The Watering Can, in Greenbank Park, Liverpool
Helen Manning prepares sandwiches at The Watering Can, in Greenbank Park, Liverpool Helen Manning prepares sandwiches at The Watering Can, in Greenbank Park, Liverpool. The cafe prepared 100 packed lunches, with sandwiches, crisps, soft drinks, biscuits and fruit, on Monday morning (Peter Byrne/PA)
Sandwiches at The Watering Can café in Liverpool
Sandwiches at The Watering Can café in Liverpool Cafe owner Keith Perryman had a work-around for anyone embarrassed about asking for help – they could ask for ‘Frank” their dog and would then be given a lunch bag (Peter Byrne/PA)
Louisa Ingleton puts out a menu offering free breakfasts for children at the Rumour Cafe in Sheerness, Kent
Louisa Ingleton puts out a menu offering free breakfasts for children at the Rumour Cafe in Sheerness, Kent Louisa Ingleton puts out a menu offering free breakfasts for children at the Rumour Cafe in Sheerness, Kent (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Dawn Grain, manager of the Rumour Cafe, prepares bags containing free meals
Dawn Grain, manager of the Rumour Cafe, prepares bags containing free meals Dawn Grain, manager of the Rumour Cafe, prepares bags containing free meals. Owner Paul West said they wanted to take a little of the pressure off parents (Gareth Fuller/PA)
A free lunches sign outside London Fields Primary School in London
A free lunches sign outside London Fields Primary School in London London Fields Primary School in Hackney, London, is offering free lunches over the break, with a sign reading ‘Free of charge. Free of judgement’ (Yui Mok/PA)
A chef prepared food for free lunch bags at Pho in Bristol
A chef prepared food for free lunch bags at Pho in Bristol A chef prepares food for free lunch bags at Pho in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA)
Staff member holds lunch bags at Pho
Staff member holds lunch bags at Pho Staff member Dace Jurgenovska prepares free lunch bags for collection (Ben Birchall/PA)
A free breakfast sign outside the Sandon pub in Liverpool
A free breakfast sign outside the Sandon pub in Liverpool A sign outside the Sandon pub in Liverpool. Liverpool City Council has pledged £300,000 to fund the scheme (Peter Byrne/PA)
Leah Cain helps deliver packed lunches in Liverpool
Leah Cain helps deliver packed lunches in Liverpool Leah Cain helps deliver packed lunches provided by Taste in Dingle, Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA)
James Koch prepares free packed lunch bags for delivery at the Gallimaufry pub in Bristol
James Koch prepares free packed lunch bags for delivery at the Gallimaufry pub in Bristol James Koch prepares free packed lunch bags for delivery at the Gallimaufry pub in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA)
Lucy Turpin and her 11-month-old baby Sophie with a bag of food provided by volunteers in London Fields, east London
Lucy Turpin and her 11-month-old baby Sophie with a bag of food provided by volunteers in London Fields, east London Lucy Turpin and her 11-month-old baby Sophie with a bag of food provided by volunteers in London Fields, east London (Yui Mok/PA)