Vale of Glamorgan schools are at the forefront of an innovative operation to ensure some of the County's most vulnerable families don't go hungry during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cadoxton, Romilly and Y Ddraig are providing hundreds of food parcels a week, which are then distributed to the families of pupils hit hardest by the crisis.

As a hub school, Cadoxton is the base from where support for nearby primaries Oakfield, Jenner Park, Ysgol Gwaun Y Nant and Palmerston is coordinated.

But, following a grant secured by the Council, the operation has now expanded to also include Pencoedtre, Holton, Colcot, St Curig, St Baruc and Iolo Morgannwg.

Fellow hub schools, Romilly and Y Ddraig are running similar operations in Barry and Llantwit Major respectively, offering assistance to those in acute need and working with schools in their local areas.

Cadoxton Headteacher Janet Hayward, said: "As a school, health and wellbeing is at the forefront of what we do.

"After we were successful in securing funding, we started putting parcels together for families in Cadoxton that we knew to be struggling.

"We started delivering to around 80 families, but that number has increased since the crisis began and we're now delivering to more than 220 a week.

"The families that we're largely supporting may not be claiming free school meals and were just about getting by with the jobs that they had.

"When they suddenly lost those jobs there is obviously a shortage of money. Others have mental health issues that make it difficult for them to leave the house."

On Thursdays, a team of nine Teachers and Learning Support Assistants at Cadoxton organise deliveries from Fareshare, a charity aimed at relieving food poverty and reducing food waste in the UK.

They also collect food from supermarkets bought with donations from charitable organisations such as the Waterloo and Moondance foundations as well as money raised through a recently-launched Just Giving page.

The Waterloo Foundation is an independent grant-making foundation, while, similarly, the Moondance Foundation allocates funds to organisations for general charitable purposes.

Food is arranged into separate parcels and delivered by around 40 people working on behalf of the individual schools in the hub to more than 200 homes. Individual schools identify families in need and collect the parcels to deliver to their families.

Aside from providing much-needed food, the service also allows schools to check how families are coping during this difficult period.

Cadoxton Primary founded the charity Cadog's Corner to help provide general support for the local community, but since the Covid-19 crisis hit, the food supply has become its main function.

Its positive work has attracted widespread attention, with television appearances on the likes of The Steph Show and Heno.

And local street food business Butty Bach has also joined the movement, donating meals for inclusion in the parcels.

Cllr Lis Burnett, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Education, said: "The fantastic efforts of those at Cadoxton Primary school is just one example of work going on across the Vale to look after the most vulnerable members of our communities.

"Similar operations are based at Romilly in Barry and Ysgol y Ddraig in Llantwit Major and a whole network of individual schools help deliver parcels to families that need them in their areas.

"Coronavirus has brought about a profound change in all our lives, but some have been harder hit than others.

"There are a variety of other schemes in place to ensure those in difficulty have sufficient food at this time and I'd like to pass on my sincere appreciation to the individuals that devote their time to these operations. Such kindness is truly humbling."

Elsewhere, to ensure pupils entitled to free school meals don't go without, the Council has quickly developed a system to issue vouchers that can be used at local supermarkets.

The Council's newly-established Crisis Support Team has also spoken to more than 4,000 residents asked to shield by Welsh Government, checking necessary support is in place and making arrangements to provide it if not.

Vale Heroes is a directory that brings together voluntary groups and businesses across the County who are working to assist residents affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and can be accessed from the Council's website.

And Food Vale provides an information service that helps residents access food-related support while also detailing how food businesses are operating in the current situation.

The Council has also, alongside Admiral Insurance, been working in partnership with the Vale Foodbank to support their work to ensure the most vulnerable are fed.