FAMILIES in Clackmannanshire are facing increasing pressure over the school holidays, a trend mirrored across the UK.

Poor provision of childcare, limited access to enrichment activities and food insecurity can impact those on low incomes during the summer, according to University of Glasgow researchers.

A recent report, The Cost of School Holidays from Children from Low Income Families, published in the journal Childhood, points to the affect this can have on youngsters' health, wellbeing and learning.

Locally, The Gate Foodbank in Alloa tries to help alleviate costs during the summer period and tends to see a spike in demands for its services.

In 2017, it provided crisis parcels for 49 families in July, a figure which jumped to 82 family parcels the following month, including 150 children.

But perhaps the biggest indicator of how low-income can impact on those with youngsters is through the need for school uniforms.

According to Adrienne Hilton, foodbank coordinator, the demand for crisis parcels usually drops in July.

She said: “It’s not normally until the last few weeks in July that you suddenly start getting more of a demand and then it just tends to be August that peaks.

“But they’ve also got the pressure of buying school uniforms which again we can help out with because we’ve got the school uniform bank.

“We do find that August is probably, they’ve got other pressures on their income.

"They realise they’ve got to buy the new shoes, buy the uniform and that was partly why we introduced the school uniform bank.

"The need for that shows that there is a need for support for families over the summer.

"If we can provide school uniform free it means then, that they're not having to spend money and not have money to eat. This sort of goes hand in hand."

The charity will link up with partners to distribute uniforms to those who most need it for free.

Marie Brownhill, manager of The Gate Centre, is coordinating the uniform bank.

She said: “The project goal is to help children return to school with dignity and pride.

“Last year we provided 318 children with a school uniform and equipment that was all kindly donated by our local community.

“We are open now for donations, 10am until 2pm, Monday to Friday, of not only school uniforms – equipment, blazers, school bags, gym bags, footwear, lunch boxes, gym kits, and stationary are also appreciated and distributed.

"We are hoping that the general community will once again support this project to help Clackmannanshire’s most vulnerable children return to school feeling equal, valued and included."

The drop-in week, where people can then pick-up uniforms in exchange for donations, is July 23-27, 2-4pm.