Over 3,000 children in Worcestershire enjoyed an exciting and adventure-packed end to the year, attending activities and workshops across the county as part of the Holiday Activities & Food (HAF) programme.
A Department for Education initiative, and supported locally by Worcestershire Children First, the HAF programme offers free holiday provision for children and young people aged from 5 to 16, who are entitled to free school meals (FSM) or are referred by a professional.
The sessions run during the main school holidays at Easter, Summer and Christmas.
Around 60 providers from across the county support the HAF programme, enabling children to access fun, engaging and enriching activities.
These include animal care & horse riding, dance & theatre groups, water sports & swimming lessons, team-building & life skills, circus skills & martial arts, football & sports, art & crafts, as well as enjoying a healthy meal as part of each day.
Over the Christmas holidays children and young people went ice skating, learnt to ride a bike, visited the panto, had a visit from Father Christmas, braved the outdoors for plenty of physical activity, learnt new skills and tried their hand at completely new activities.
The programme has also increased its specialist provision for children with SEND which included a specially created sensory performance at the Swan Theatre.
The scheme has proved popular with parents and children, with one parent commenting: “My son has really enjoyed himself. He has had a chance to try things that are new and make friends. The staff are friendly and engaging and really add to the experience.”
Councillor Tracey Onslow, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “It is wonderful to hear of the positive experiences that children have had during the last HAF session in December. The team are already looking ahead to Easter, with plenty of plans being made. I’d like to thank the HAF team and all of our partners whose hard work and dedication has helped make this programme a success in Worcestershire.”
The HAF programme will return for 2023, starting with the Easter holiday. Providers and the HAF It team are busily finalising plans for the programme and will soon announce what activities children and young people can look forward to.
Families of eligible FSM children and young people, or those who have been referred by a professional, are urged to sign up as soon as possible via the HAF-it website.
For all the latest news and to keep up to date, please visit the Ready Steady Worcestershire pages of the County Council website or follow HAF Worcestershire on Facebook to join in!
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