Leighton Buzzard's Freddie and Friends will offer warm space and free meals this winter

A Leighton Buzzard community group that supports children with additional needs has been awarded a grant to fight the Cost of Living crisis.

Leighton-Linslade Town Council has donated funds to Freddie and Friends, which runs a hub with a variety of inclusive groups at Pages Park Pavilion, as well as holding a Community Café on Thursdays.

A council spokesman said: "Freddie and Friends organisers Katie and Jo will be offering a free meal, for example a jacket potato, to families in need who quote the word 'Sunshine' at the café. The scheme is intended to run for three months, from December until February."

In October the council agreed to allocate an additional £10,000 in grant funding in response to the current Cost of Living crisis. The aim was to make funding available to groups and organisations providing emergency support over the winter, which will directly benefit residents.

Earlier this month, the first application, from All Saints Church, was approved. The church plans to open its doors all week between Monday, December 19, and Saturday, December 24, for an initiative they are calling Warm Week. Every day they will be offering a warm space for people to take refuge and will also be offering free soup and hot drinks.

If you are involved with or know of a scheme or project being run in the parish which will help residents this winter given the cost of living and energy crisis, visit the council’s website. The council is already in discussions with a number of other organisations and hopes to approve further grants soon.