Children and young people are being invited to attend holiday-time activities with free healthy meals this Christmas.
We coordinate the activity programme, working with activity providers in locations across Devon.
It’s part of a national, Department for Education-funded initiative to provide free activities and healthy meals during school holidays in 2021.
And this month, we heard confirmation that the government will provide further funding to enable us to extend the activity programme for a further three years, to 2024.
School holidays can be difficult for some families, particularly over the Christmas period with increased costs, such as food, and reduced incomes. Councils have been asked to ensure that the offer of free holiday club provision, activities or equivalent are available for all those eligible for and in receipt of Free School Meals.
We have given funds to over 100 schools, community, voluntary organisations, private businesses, leisure companies and activity providers, to offer activities, events, hot meals and food hampers to eligible children, young people and their families, over these Christmas and New Year holidays, from 20 December to 1 January 2022.
There are a range of activities on offer at locations across Devon, including Santa experiences, food hampers, gift e-vouchers for families, boat trips, roller skating, sports schemes, holiday clubs, theatre and cinema tickets, meals out for families. Activities include the provision of a hot meal.
For more information about the programme, and details of where the activities are, visit our Holiday Activities and Food Programme webpage. Or email enquiries to childsc.holidayactivitiesfoodprogramme-mailbox@devon.gov.uk