HUNDREDS of disadvantaged children in Colchester will get free nutritious meals thanks to a £25,000 cash boost.

A pilot scheme at the Firstsite arts venue was recognised by Children in Need as deserving of the money to continue the project for a year.

It is set to start this summer.

Delighted programme manager Susan Hogan said: “Over the school summer holidays of 2017, Firstsite funded and ran a free pilot programme for vulnerable school-aged children and families in Colchester affected by poverty and in receipt of free school meals.

"The new funding from BBC Children in Need will allow us to continue this for 2018. We will provide children and young people with a hot nutritious meal alongside outdoor, movement based physical and creative activities, with a focus on offering a holistic approach to address their wellbeing over the six-week holiday period.”

The cash will pay for the hot meals and and holiday activities to children and families living in areas of deprivation in Colchester.

Mrs Hogan added: "This programme of events will reduce holiday hunger and food insecurity for families in Colchester through the canteen, while the physical and creative activities on offer will be free to everyone on a drop-in basis.

"Families will be able to start their day with an hour of physical activity on the Berryfield Lawn, then take part in the practical, hands-on creative sessions before having lunch in the canteen.

"Meals will be free to families who qualify for free school meals, and for a low price to other families."

The pilot programme ran for six weeks last July and 4,900 children took part.

A total of 390 meals were served across 11 sessions.

This year's Firstsite School Holiday Programme will launch on Saturday July 21 and will offer a range of physical and creative activities to children and families.

It will run in the school summer holidays, October half term and February half term and Easter in 2019.

The canteen will be open weekdays and around 4,000 meals will be served.

Families that qualify for free school meals will be able to book their lunch for free.

Another project already receiving funding from BBC Children in Need in Colchester is Signals Media Arts Centre which receives funding over three years to provide digital, film and animation workshops for young people with special educational needs in Essex.

The workshops are currently in their second year and deliver basic keyboard skills, basic coding, game creation, digital sound creation and editing sessions to young people whilst giving them the opportunity to gain an Arts Award.

The project aims to increase the young people’s confidence and develop their creative and communication abilities.