With living costs making school holidays increasingly stressful for families, one County Durham charity has stepped in to ease the financial burden this Easter.
Live Well North East, based in Sacriston, is offering a lifeline to parents by providing free childcare alongside its £4 adult fitness classes. Operating daily throughout the Easter break, the initiative is designed to support both the physical wellbeing and the wallets of local families.
Debra Cumiskey, the charity's CEO, noted that families are facing heightened financial pressures this season.
"We're all about improving the wellbeing of parents and children and that's why we have our Easter holiday programme," Cumiskey explained.
The local effort arrives against a backdrop of national economic anxiety. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer addressed the public, warning of further domestic financial impacts stemming from Middle Eastern conflicts. While the government has pointed to measures like a minimum wage hike to help cushion the blow, community-level support remains a crucial safety net for many.
For parents on the ground, the charity's service is indispensable. Lauren Emmerson, a mother of three from nearby Brandon, described the holiday program as a massive relief.
"It can be tough over Easter but the free childcare is amazing and it also helps us parents," Emmerson said.
Another local mother, Gemma, highlighted the spiraling costs of keeping children entertained while schools are closed.
"You might as well toss £100 a day in the air each day during the holidays as when you're looking for things to do the cost is just going up and up, so that's why having these guys here is so important," she noted.
Beyond fitness and daily childcare, Live Well North East is also hosting a dedicated breakfast club for primary school children at The Fulforth Centre. The morning club is completely free for families receiving food vouchers under the Department for Education's Holiday Activities and Food program, ensuring vulnerable children have a healthy, active start to their day while school is out.