14,000 children and young people supported by Holiday Activities and Food Programme in 2021

More than 14,000* children and young people across west Cheshire were supported by the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) in 2021.

Designed to support children and young people who have been most affected by the pandemic, the programme offers a safe and supportive environment where they can learn, be active and eat well, as well as make new friends locally.

The Government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme, coordinated by Edsential Community Interest Company, provided funding for provision across the borough to cover the spring, summer and winter breaks in 2021. Additional funding for the programme is also provided by the Council.

Throughout 2021, the Council worked with over 100 providers, including Brio Leisure, Edsential and its own Youth Service to provide provision locally to ensure there is a wide range of activities and nutritious food available for all ages and abilities. The holiday activity clubs provided healthy meals and snacks and a range of fun activities, such as yoga, skateboarding, swimming courses, forest schools, hair dressing and arts and crafts for youngsters to try out.

Organisations were also funded to deliver specific HAF provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with lots of fun activities on offer, from sports to arts and crafts, and science to mindfulness. In 2021, the programme supported over 1000* children and young people with SEND.

Councillor Robert Cernik, Cabinet Member for Children and Families said: “The holiday activity clubs that are funded through the HAF scheme have ensured that children and young people have the opportunity to enjoy and learn new skills over the school holidays and access tasty, nutritious meals, whilst making new friends and most importantly having fun.

“I am delighted that the programme has been such a huge success in 2021, it really shows the successful partnership working in ensuring invaluable support for our families in the borough who need it the most.”

The Holiday Activities and Food Programme will return for the spring break in 2022. For further information, please visit:

https://edsential.com/holidayactivityfund2022/

*This figure accounts for the number of children who attended a session, it does not take into account that some children may have been counted more than once if they attended over more than one holiday period.

During the 2021 spring break 4,593 children and young people accessed holiday provision in the borough, provided by 33 providers who were funded by the Department for Education’s HAF programme. 429 children with SEND accessed provision.

During the 2021 summer break 5,713 children and young people accessed holiday provision in the borough, provided by 54 providers who were funded by the Department for Education’s HAF programme. 408 children with SEND accessed provision.

During the 2021 winter break 3,726 children and young people accessed holiday provision in the borough, provided by 30 providers who were funded by the Department for Education’s HAF programme. 238 children with SEND accessed provision.