Dear Sir, New research published by the Trussell Trust (Foodbank Founders) brings home the desperate choices facing many families across the UK this summer. The findings reveal that a fifth of parents will skip a meal during the school holidays so that their children can eat, with the charity estimating that as many as 1.5 million people could be forced to forgo food over the coming weeks. As a charity fighting poverty in the UK, we hear from families who are struggling with decisions like these every single day. 42% of parents told us they are worried about spending more on food for their children during the summer break and 36% are concerned about paying their essential bills at this time. As a result, one in six will be forced to borrow money through credit cards, overdrafts and loans to make it through. We know that the extra financial costs that the school summer holidays bring create added pressure for families who are already struggling to afford housing, food and other essentials. It’s clear that more needs to be done to put an end to holiday hunger and we’re working together with the Trussell Trust and other like-minded organisations to ensure that support for families is as accessible and prominent as possible. We urge anyone who is struggling to use our free Benefits Calculator, Grants Search and other help at Turn2us.org.uk to find out quickly and easily what support could be available. It could make all the difference this summer and beyond. Simon Hopkins Turn2us Tel: 0208 834 9200