The Give A Little Extra initiative means museum café customers can purchase additional items, including hot drinks, sandwiches and a children’s lunch box, which will be credited for their value and distrusted to local charities.
Local charities, such as Youth Homelessness North East and West End Foodbank, can exchange the vouchers for food and drink at the museum café.
Laura Steel, Sodexo Prestige’s general manager, said: “We are aware that some people find it difficult to visit our museums because they don’t have the financial means to pay for tickets and activities and events or to buy their family a drink or a meal in our cafes, and we believe everyone should be able to enjoy our venues, no matter what their circumstances may be.”
Sodexo has launched the scheme by donating 20 sandwiches, hot drinks, meals and lunchboxes.
Carolyn Ball, manager of the Discovery Museum, said: “Discovery Museum prides itself on being a welcoming and accessible museum, but we know that, even though it has free entry, there are other financial barriers to visiting, such as not being able to afford to buy a drink or meal in the café.
“We are delighted Sodexo Prestige Venues & Events is so passionate about helping us with this initiative and we hope our visitors will also see its value and give generously.”