Every year, hundreds of dedicated staff, volunteers, and organisations come together to make the Devon HAF programme a success. From providing fun and enriching activities to nutritious meals and safe, welcoming spaces where children can thrive, our providers make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people, and families across Devon.

The Devon HAF Celebration & Impact Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate these incredible achievements, showcase the positive impact being made in communities across the county, raise awareness of the programme for those who may not yet have benefited, and thank the amazing people whose passion, creativity, and commitment help make HAF such a success.

Our expert panel has carefully reviewed all award submissions, including videos, supporting statements, and feedback gathered during Easter and Summer monitoring visits. Following this process, a shortlist of nominees has been selected for each category.

View the shortlisted nominees and cast your vote:

Vote here: Devon HAF Celebration & Impact Awards

How the awards are decided

• Devon HAF Hero Award and HAF Film of the Year will be chosen by our expert judging panel.
• Devon HAF Excellence Awards will be selected by the expert panel from the winners of the other award categories.
• The Parent and Carers’ Choice Award will be decided entirely by votes from parents and carers.
• All other award winners will be determined through a combination of expert panel scores and public voting.

The quality of provision and award submissions this year has been truly exceptional, and we would like to congratulate all those who have been shortlisted.

Nominate a Devon HAF Hero

In addition to voting for the shortlisted nominees, members of the public can also submit nominations for the Devon HAF Hero Award, recognising individuals who have gone above and beyond to make a positive difference to children, young people, and families through the Devon HAF programme.

Have your say

Whether you are a parent, carer, participant, volunteer, or supporter of the programme, we would love to hear from you. Your vote helps us celebrate the people and organisations making a real difference to children and families across Devon.

Public voting is now open and closes on 16th October 2026, so please share the voting link with family, friends, and your wider community.

Award winners will be announced at the Devon HAF Celebration & Impact Awards Evening on 29th October 2026, when we come together to celebrate the outstanding impact being made across Devon’s communities.

Thank you for helping us recognise and celebrate the incredible achievements, dedication, and impact of the Devon HAF programme. We can’t wait to showcase the amazing people and organisations who help make a difference to children and families across Devon every day.

Voting is open now – cast your vote today!

To access the programme, please book a place by using the EEQU booking system. You will receive an email confirmation.

Have a look at the quick guide on how to book a HAF session.

Please note that the HAF programme covers the holiday periods of a maximum of four days at spring, 16 days in the summer and four days at winter – it does not run in half-term holidays.

The Department for Education (DfE) funded holiday activities and food (HAF) programme for this year aims to support children, young people and families eligible for HAF to:

• eat more healthily over the school holidays and try new foods
• be more active during the school holidays
• take part in engaging and enriching activities which support the development of resilience, character and wellbeing along with their wider educational attainment
• be safe and not so socially isolated
• have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition
• be more engaged with school and other local services
• be able to develop their understanding of nutrition and food budgeting
• be signposted towards other information and support, for example, health, employment and education

Further detail about what the HAF programme is and why it was created. Information for parents and carers about the HAF programme is set out below.

Places will be prioritised for school aged children and young people from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who are receiving benefit-related free school meals, and their families.

Please note this is not for children on universal free school meals.

You can apply for benefit-related free school meals online through your Citizen’s portal.

You will need to make an application to the free school meals team to check your eligibility.

If you are not eligible then you may be able to access an extended criteria place.

Parents and carers will be aware that we have been running the Department for Education (DfE) Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for a number of years in Devon.

The programme is continuing for the next three years and will cover the Spring, Summer and Winter holidays for 2026/7, 2027/8 and 2028/9. It’s fully funded by the DfE, and they set the criteria for those attending and the aims of the programme.

Nationally, the aim is to provide activities, including a nutritional meal, during the school holidays to young people, aged five to 16 who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals (FSM).

That means, it’s a condition of their funding that places are allocated to children and young people who are eligible for FSM first. Beyond that, we have taken a decision locally to use an extended criteria.

We are very happy for places to be given to children and young people who meet the extended criteria, but in the first instance, we have to prioritise the allocation of places to those who are eligible for benefit-related FSM.

If your child is not eligible for benefits-related FSMs, you may be able to access an extended criteria place. In Devon, our extended criteria places are prioritised for the following children:

• Looked-after.
• Previously looked after.
• Children with EHCP.
• Young carers.

Please note the number of these places are limited. HAF providers will hold a waiting list for extended criteria places and will not be able to confirm a place until a week before the Holiday period. Priority must be given to the benefit-related free school meal children.

If you are a parent or carer of a child who meets the extended criteria, please book with your chosen provider via the EEQU Booking System.

Additionally, not all activity providers will be able to accommodate the full age range of the programme. Please check with the booking system for the age range available.

A number of HAF providers have registered with Ofsted and will offer paid-for places as well as HAF-funded places. See what government help is available to pay for childcare.

If your child requires assistance for the activity, you can clarify this on the booking system when you register. The parent or carer may be welcome to attend or the activity provider may offer extra support for your child.

The providers on offer include those experienced in working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and are therefore appropriately trained to support children with a disability or additional needs.

Although HAF sessions are free to eligible families, if your child/ren does not turn up, it means that other eligible children missing out on their opportunity to attend a holiday club and receive a nutritious meal. Therefore, please only book your child/ren onto the days they can attend.

If a child doesn’t attend two or more booked sessions over any holiday period and their place isn’t cancelled in advance, this will result in all of their other bookings being cancelled for the remainder of the holiday. This will enable other child/ren to be offered the place(s).

To cancel a booked session, use the EEQU booking system.

Just themselves, a smile (hopefully!), and appropriate clothing for the activity.

If the activity is outdoors, please remember to bring a waterproof coat. If for some reason your activity is cancelled due to wet weather, the activity provider will endeavour to contact you at the earliest opportunity to let you know.

Yes, they will. A healthy meal will be provided each day of the activity.

If your child has a food allergy or special dietary requirement, this information will be collected when you register on the booking system.

We invited applications from activity providers across the county who were able to meet the strict HAF criteria. However, as you know, we live in a very rural county, which means there will be limitations as to where the programme will operate. So, unfortunately, there may not be a scheme in every town.

We would encourage you to make your own way to the activity, but if you require assistance with transport, please speak to your provider.

If you have any queries, please email haf@devon.gov.uk.

• Benefits and Welfare support
• Family Hubs
• Best Start in Life
• Family Information Service
• SEND local offer
• Cost of living support
• MyWay | Wellbeing Support – Get Help Now — Young Devon