More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling on a council to bring back summer food vouchers for children on free school meals.

The campaign was started after it emerged Medway Council had taken the decision to stop giving out the vouchers unless children attend free holiday activities throughout the summer break, where they would be served lunch.

Medway Labour Group presented their petition to the council on Thursday.

Cllr Clive Johnson (Lab), the group’s spokesman for children and young people started the petition and says it is still within the council’s power to reverse its decision despite the summer holidays being in full swing.

The Gillingham South representative said: “We have seen parents today as we were collecting signatures in Chatham and they were really concerned about the impact that this has had.

“I spoke to a mother this morning who said she’s had weeks of eating cereal rather than eating properly just so her children can eat and that’s just not right in Medway in 2022, in the sixth-richest country in the world that we have parents who are going without in order to feed their children.”

Group leader Cllr Vince Maple (Lab), said: “We have heard from parents and from residents that perhaps don’t even have children but they know the basic concept of saying, ‘should children in Medway be going hungry over the school holidays?’, the answer is no.”

The MedwayGo activities programme is running in various locations across Medway, however, many sessions are booked up.

The council said it had contacted schools with information about the Housing Support Fund and MedwayGo.

More details about the Housing Support Fund can be found here.

It also said any child who is taking part in the activities can qualify for a free Arriva bus ticket by emailing go@medway.gov.uk with the number of children booked to attend activities, and for how many days, and the team will send the tickets.