Holiday Activity Fund Grants – Cheshire

On 8 November 2020, the Government announced that the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF), which has provided healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children since 2018, will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021. The programme will cover the Easter, summer, and Christmas holidays in 2021. The Holiday Activities and Food Programme enables children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) to access healthy food and take part in fun activities over the school holiday periods. The programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

The funding from the DfE has come directly to Local Authorities for 2021 delivery and will cover the provision of free holiday places and the coordination of the programme locally. The aim of the programme is to make free places available to children eligible for free school meals for the equivalent of at least 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, 6 weeks a year. The funding should cover 4 weeks in the summer and a week’s worth of provision in the Christmas holidays.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is seeking providers to deliver elements of the programme, specifically provision for SEND children and young people.