Free school meals: Bersted project could be used elsewhere following success

In stark contrast to some of the free school meals pictured over Christmas, food parcels prepared by the Bersted Hamper Project were packed with a range of fresh meat, fruit and vegetables.

The produce was bought from Jordan's Butcher and Oakmere Fruit and Veg as a way of supporting the local community, costing £35 per hamper.

The hampers were then delivered across the area to help families at Southway Primary School, Barton's Primary School and Bersted Green Primary School.

Parish councillor Rob Outen, said: "I think we did just ender 60 hampers over the Christmas period and we have also been authorised by the community resource committee to allocate some more money to help families over January and February."

£1,300 has been allocated by the parish council and £5,000 for the Sussex Community Foundation.

These come among a number of donations from private Bognor Regis residents with some dropping their cash gifts at the community hall.

Rob added: "Just to say thank you. It is always difficult at the best of times asking people for money but if it is the right cause and people understand what is being done then I think people are happy to help people who are worse of than them."

"It has been fantastically received and we would not be able to do it without these people putting their hands in their pockets."

Following the success of the first run, Rob now says he recommends the model for use in other parts of the country.

"I would like the opportunity to talk to someone in the local authority that would be able to look at what we have done and see it is actually quite easily transferrable across lots of different parishes."

Fellow Bersted councillor Martin Lury, said: "I am the chair the community action group and we have been waiting for the opportunity to actually put action in to the community.

"We have become ware of how many people are suffering in the area and want to help out at a grass roots level. We wanted to reach out and give some practical help and support.

"We were quite surprised at the take up which just shows the level of the problem at the moment which is extraordinary."

"It was a lovely feeling to be able to help people during this difficult time.

"You would see the level of deprivation that you wouldn't expect to see in Sussex — but that has always been the case."