Dear Parent / Carer,
I hope that you are all keeping safe and well in these challenging times.
As you are aware, schools are now approaching Christmas holidays. We wanted to let you know the support available to families over the Christmas period who would be entitled to Free School Meals. In line with Government guidance, Sandwell Council has worked to be able to help support you to provide meals for your child.
Sandwell Council has made arrangements for you to receive food vouchers via a partnership with Wonde.com. These vouchers will be sent via TEXT or EMAIL to your mobile phone. If you do not have internet access on your mobile and are therefore unable to view the voucher, you can forward the message to someone who has and they can help you redeem the voucher. If you are unable to do this, please speak to us as soon as possible by emailing [email protected] or calling the main office.
For Primary and Secondary school pupils the vouchers will have a value of £15 per child per week.
The first voucher link will be sent out this week and the second voucher link will be sent out next week.:
1. Follow this link, choose which supermarket you would like an e-voucher for, and press submit. The supermarkets available for selection from are e.g. ASDA, Morrison’s, Tesco and Sainsburys.
2. You will then be sent an e-voucher for your chosen supermarket. Please be aware that the timescale for this to be sent will vary by supermarket. The expected turnaround is approximately 24 hours.
If you have any questions about the message that you receive from Wonde, or if you believe you should have received a message from Wonde and haven’t, please contact us by 2.00pm on Thursday 11th December 2020.
Further updates around support concerning food can be found via both via Sandwell Council, the school websites and social media. During the Christmas period, should you require emergency assistance from Sandwell Council the emergency number is 0121 569 2266 and the website is https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200354/coronavirus_advice
If you are finding hard to make ends meet free and confidential advice around benefits or budgeting is available. The council’s welfare rights team can advise you and your family.
Contact: [email protected] 0121 569 3158
If you need advice around employment and training support the council’s advisers will be able to help. Contact: [email protected]
Further information and advice is also available on the Resilient Residents, Route 2 Wellbeing and Healthy Sandwell websites.
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| Supermarket | When do the vouchers expire? | Can the voucher be used online? |
| Asda | 2 Years | Yes |
| Morrisons | 1 Year | No |
| Aldi | 5 Years | No |
| Tesco | 5 Years | No |
| Sainsbury’s | 2 Years | Yes |
| Iceland | 1 Year | No |
Can the retailer selected by the parent be changed?
Once the parent has selected the retailer this cannot be changed. The parent is able to choose a different retailer for each voucher that is assigned to them.
How do parents receive the voucher?
Parents receive the voucher by text message and email (providing you have these contact details available on your MIS).
How long does it take for the voucher to be received?
Most vouchers are received within 30 minutes after the retailer is selected. If the parent selects Morrisons or Asda then the following timings apply:
Are there any restrictions on what the vouches can be used for?
The restrictions for each supermarket are listed below: