A DUMBARTON charity is offering a lifeline to the area’s children living in poverty this summer by offering them a free breakfast throughout the school holidays.

Concerned members of the Ben View Centre at Strathleven Place aim to take some of the strain off families struggling to make ends meet, welcoming them to come and benefit from their Rise ‘n’ Shine programme.

From the first Monday of the summer break, a filling breakfast will be on offer to all children from the area on a ‘no questions asked’ basis.

This is the first time the centre will try out a project like this – and manager Alison McCurley says she is already overwhelmed with the response.

Alison said: “We’ve been hearing more within the local community about issues with holiday hunger and thought maybe this would be something we could do.

“We’ve planned for it to run from the first Monday of the summer holidays, and the original plan was for it to be on a Monday and Wednesday, but hopefully it will be more.

“The money that came through was much more than we had ever imagined. We received more than £1,000 in four days. It’s much more than we could have asked for.

“It was really overwhelming – it does seem to have touched a lot of people.

“We try to focus on what’s happening in the community. There are a lot of people in this community it’s affecting.”

The manager, who has been working at the centre for the past ten years, says she hopes those in need of help will come and join them.

Alison explained: “It’ll be no questions asked – it’s for all children of all ages, and parents can also come in and get a cup of tea and a slice of toast.

“It’s a good start to the day for people. We thought, keep it simple, make sure people have got access to food in a comfortable environment and make it as welcoming as possible.

“I hope there’s no stigma attached to this, I just hope people come. It’s hard for them to do. Don’t think about what you haven’t got, just come and join in.”

The centre, which has been working in the community for 24 years, also offers support in the form of a lunch club for older members of the community and a youth programme.

And the youth programme, which provides support to more than 100 children between the ages of nine and 15, is set to give its support to the new Rise ‘n’ Shine initiative.

A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council said: “As part of our drive to close the poverty related attainment gap we piloted summer sports camps across the area during the school holidays last year and provided breakfast or lunch to the young people attending.

“This successful programme will be in place again this year.

In addition, the council’s Food, Families and Futures project, delivered in partnership with Children In Scotland, will take place again this summer at Dumbarton Academy, Vale of Leven Academy and Clydebank High, with 800 places available.