WHILE MPs earlier this week rejected calls by footballer Marcus Rashford to guarantee free school meals for all youngsters in England until at least Easter, children in Gwent are a bit more fortunate.

All five of Gwent's councils will provide free school meals, or the monetary equivalent, so pupils won’t lose out over the October half-term period after the Welsh Government extended the provision for holidays and children self-isolating until Easter 2021.

The Welsh Government has made £420,000 available to free school meal pupils who are self-isolating or shielding, while £11 million has been provided to cover free school meals during the holiday periods.

Here is how those eligible in Gwent can access the provision.

Newport

Newport City Council have made food vouchers available for free school meal pupils over October half-term week.

These vouchers can be redeemed in all branches of Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco.

There’s no application process and the vouchers get emailed to each eligible child’s parents.

Those in Year 9 and above will also get vouchers for the following week, while Wales is still in a circuit-breaker lockdown.

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Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council are making direct payments for eligible children.

This will be available for eligible families during October half-term and also during the circuit-breaker lockdown for pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 who won’t be attending school for the week of November 2.

For children who have previously received direct payments from school closures, no further action is needed.

For those eligible, but have not yet registered, applications are open until 12am on October 25.

To apply visit iweb.itouchvision.com/portal/f?p=customer:category_link:::::CUID,LANG:A2B40E379272FB6820B9E9053140A1A8C0CCEBC8,EN&P_LANG=en

Caerphilly

Children eligible for free school meals in Caerphilly get 10 meals a week in school holidays.

The free school meal delivery for half-term is taking place throughout this week. There will be no deliveries during half term week.

This will also be provided for those pupils in years 9, 10, 11, 12 for the week of November 2.

For more information visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk/Services/Schools-and-learning/School-dinners-and-breakfast-clubs/Free-school-meals

Monmouthshire

Those eligible for free school meals in Monmouthshire will receive payment directly to the parent or carer’s bank account.

These will be paid on a weekly basis and will cover October half-term and the week after for those not returning until after the circuit-breaker lockdown ends.

Torfaen

Torfaen County Borough Council has said that free school meals will operate as normal during October half-term.

Those eligible for free school meals will receive payment for half-term. Those not returning to school until after the circuit-breaker will receive an additional week of free school meal payments.