FOOD poverty across the county is being tackled in local areas by church and third sector groups working in part with local authorities.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is continuing to engage with families for its summer lunchbox programme. Last year the council gave out almost 17,000 lunchboxes.

This year the public body is working closely with the children's centres, who are also offering activities and support for families.

They are now looking for volunteers to read to children and help keep them school ready in September.

Blackburn with Darwen Council however isn't the only public body tackling food poverty in Lancashire.

In south west Burnley, church and community groups are working to make sure there is access to food and activities during the long holidays.

Activities in Lancashire are just one area covered in the recently published Church Urban Fund’s (CUF) Impact Report 2017 - http://www.cuf.org.uk/impact-report-2017 - which comprehensively describes the work being carried out by many thousands of English people, to support food poverty across the country.