The Warwickshire Holiday Activity and Food programme will once again offer free and fun activities for eligible children and young people this Easter.
The government funded programme enables children and young people nationwide to enjoy fun activities with friends during holiday periods, whilst learning and developing new skills. The Warwickshire HAF programme will be running over the school Easter holidays and is aimed at families who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
There are a variety of local holiday clubs involved, all of which provide opportunities for young people to socialise with others and learn new things by taking part in enriching activities from sport to music, dance, drama, art, cooking, den building, animal welfare and much more.
From Monday, 6 March, parents and carers can review the Easter holiday programme and book up to four activities. This can be accessed through the Family Information Service website. Each session is at least four hours long and includes a meal to help children learn about nutritious food and the preparation of healthy meals.
For the first time, the Warwickshire HAF programme will offer families a choice of SEND specific activities, with six sessions available in different locations across the county. SEND specific HAF provision can be found here. Other providers also offer accessible activities so if a child needs additional support to attend, please contact the individual provider to discuss what help may be available.
A limited number of HAF codes are available for families not in receipt of benefits-related free school meals and who face significant financial barriers to accessing provision. Eligibility criteria and referral information can be found here.
Cllr Jeff Morgan, Portfolio Holder for Children and Families said: “School holidays can be difficult for some families, especially now with the pressures brought about through rising costs of living. We are therefore glad to be able to offer the free Holiday Activity and Food programme once again over the Easter break so that those families that need it most can benefit from additional support and opportunities.
“The HAF programme provides valuable opportunities for young people, ensuring they are able to take part in activities where they can meet new friends, learn valuable skills and most importantly have fun!
“This Easter there are around 100 sites across Warwickshire providing HAF activities over the two-week holiday, and I would encourage eligible families to take a look at our website to see what’s happening near them.”
Eligible families will have received a HAF booking code via text from Warwickshire County Council. If you think you may be eligible but haven’t received a text please email hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk or call the Family Information Service on 01926 742274.
All information on the HAF programme for families and providers can be found at https://searchout.warwickshire.gov.uk/holidays-activities-food-haf
For more information on the Local Welfare Scheme visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/localwelfarescheme