Children face going hungry during school holidays after power company failures

A Liverpool charity says hundreds of schoolchildren will go hungry during the upcoming summer holidays because of EDF Energy’s failure to install the correct electrical meters.

Positive Futures was planning to open a refurbished £1m facility next week at its Liverpool youth centre where it planned to serve up to 100 youngsters daily.

However, it said the centre remains non-operational due to EDF Energy’s repeated failure to install the correct electrical meters necessary to power the facility.

The Positive Futures centre was poised to offer a wide range of services, including sports, arts, and music activities, mental health support, virtual reality gaming and gaming stations, and nutritious meals.

Central to these services are the two state-of-the-art kitchens, a community teaching kitchen and a kiosk. These facilities were intended to play a crucial role in providing food and nutritional education for children.

Positive Futures claimed that, over the past few weeks, EDF Energy has failed, on three separate occasions, to supply the centre with the correct level of electrical power.

As a result, essential equipment such as fridges, freezers, cookers, and smart screens remain unused, impacting the centre’s ability to function.

The delay is particularly devastating given that the youth centre aimed to provide vital support to children eligible for free school meals through the HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) funding.

Furthermore, it allows parents and carers to go to work knowing their kids are safe and fed, it said.

With the current situation, there is a real risk that this funding might need to be returned, depriving many children of their primary source of nourishment and activities during the summer.

Clare Corran

Clare Corran, CEO of Positive Futures Liverpool, expressed her frustration and disappointment, saying: “The opening of such a vital resource at this time should be a cause for celebration. Instead, we are having to consider closing the doors until the lights can be turned on.”

The management of Positive Futures Liverpool is urging EDF Energy to rectify the situation immediately to prevent further harm.

The organisation stresses the importance of having a fully operational youth centre to support the physical and mental wellbeing of the children it was designed to serve.

It said the continued delay in providing the correct electrical supply is not just a logistical issue but a community crisis, saying immediate resolution is imperative to ensure the youth centre can fulfill its mission of supporting and nurturing the young people of North Liverpool.

Following an approach by TheBusinessDesk.com, an EDF Energy spokesperson said: “Our customer services team are investigating as a matter of urgency to ensure this is resolved as quickly as possible.”