Free holiday club places available

Free holiday club places are being offered to children who qualify for free school meals during the school holidays.

The programme will provide free places to children eligible for free school meals for the equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week, and for five weeks in school holidays during 2021. This covers a week’s worth of provision in the Easter, four weeks in the summer, and a week during October half term.

These clubs provide physical activity, a hot meal and fun activities, alongside education and support opportunities for parents and carers.

Sayyed Osman, Director of Adult Services and Prevention, said:

The aim of the holiday club scheme is to encourage children to eat more healthily, be more active and to engage with activities through the holiday club. The scheme will also ensure children are safe and not socially isolated.

Holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people. Evidence shows they work best when they provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities, when they offer more than just breakfast or lunch, and when they involve children and parents in food preparation.”

The places can be provided via existing holiday clubs that provide free places for eligible children and young people, or new provision where there are gaps. Holiday clubs will also be made available to children not eligible, who can pay to attend.

During the Easter holidays, support has been spread over two weeks, with children able to access one week’s worth of activity and food. There have been 1,502 registrations already with the first week fully booked.

Activities include fun online activities, small group activities at six children centres with a healthy meal included, 2,000 healthy family food boxes delivered and free school meal vouchers worth £30 per pupil.

To find out more or to book your child’s place visit www.getstuckin.org.uk