Children's services
Thousands of children and young people in Walsall enjoy Holiday Activity and Food programme
Published on
More than 8000 *eligible children and young people in Walsall enjoyed the council’s Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme during the holidays.
Running across four weeks, the programme offers a wide range of activities for young people to get involved in, plus offers a healthy lunch for those attending.
The council works with 75 providers to host activities, operating across 117 venues in and around the borough.
8053 children and young people booked onto sessions across the four weeks, and 21,919 healthy lunches were distributed.
Parents were able to book children onto a wide variety of activities throughout the programme, and many applauded the scheme and how it helps them and their family.
One parent commented on how the HAF programme relieves financial pressures during the holidays, with others explaining that the programme gives them access to activities they probably would not have been able to without the scheme.
“ Another fantastic summer of fun and enjoyment for thousands of children and young people in Walsall, thanks to the HAF programme.
It’s a real team effort to deliver four-weeks of activities across the whole borough.
We work with our providers to plan sessions that youngsters will enjoy, with our parents to allow them to easily book onto activities, and our catering service rallies together to prepare and coordinate thousands of health and balanced lunches – it really is all hands-on deck with HAF.
Parents and young people are telling us how valuable this is to them. The summer holidays can be long and expensive, so it’s brilliant to know a programme like this can take away a few of the everyday pressures families face.
A big well done all those involved in delivering such a brilliant programme this summer! “
Further information and details of how to register on the programme are available on the HAF website: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/children-and-young-people/holiday-activities-programme-haf
The HAF programme will run again during the Christmas holidays in December, with 4 pick & mix sessions available to eligible families on 23rd, 24th, 27th, 30th December 2024 and 2nd January 2025.
Walsall Right for Children (WR4C) facilitates the HAF programme and can be contacted by email at WR4C@walsall.gov.uk. Follow the team on Twitter for updates.
Ends
Notes to editor
• *The programme is aimed at children and young people ages 5 to 16 years, eligible for free school meals to offer healthy food and enriching activities four weeks over the summer break.
