SUSSEX Cricket are continuing their In The Bag initiative this winter to help feed families in need.

The Hove-based club initially ran the scheme with Brighton and Hove Food Partnership over six weeks in August and September, with the aim of returning every year during the school summer holidays.

Then the team behind cricket commentary website Guerilla Cricket offered a fundraising boost to enable In The Bag to carry on through the winter.

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Guerilla Cricket set its listeners a fundraising target of £3,500 and has already racked up £1,000 since the launch two weeks ago. Gary Wallis-Tayler, community cricket director at Sussex Cricket, said: “It is brilliant to have the support of the Guerilla Cricket community which has allowed us to bring In The Bag back for the winter.

“Food insecurity is an issue all year round so to be able to make a difference in the same way we did over the summer is something we’re really pleased about. It would be brilliant if even more people in the cricket community donated to the campaign in the coming weeks so we can get out and provide as many recipe kits as possible.”

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The £3,500 target is enough to provide 1,000 recipe and ingredients bags.

Vic Borrill of Brighton and Hove Food Partnership said: “Winter is a challenging time for those with a low household income. Heating bills and school holidays put pressure on already tight household budgets and Covid-19 has exacerbated this.

“In The Bag helps families in poverty to eat well by providing all the ingredients and a simple recipe to make a healthy family meal.

“Over summer we gave out 1,247 bags and this winter we’d love to reach even more families.”