Funding available for providers of summer holiday activities for children

Groups, organisations and individuals planning to deliver summer holiday activities for the under-16s are being invited to apply for funding from Shropshire Council.

The funding – available through the Department for Education (DfE) holiday activities and food programme – is intended to subsidise free places on new or existing holiday programmes for children and young people who are eligible for free school meals. In Shropshire, there are more than 5,000 children and young people registered to claim benefit related free school meals.

The holiday activities and food programme, campaigned for by footballer Marcus Rashford, aims to make holiday activities as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Providers will need to offer a programme of enrichment and physical activities a nutritious meal and food education.

Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s executive director of children’s services, said

“Now more than ever it’s extremely important for children and young people to socialise, learn new skills and have fun in their local community.

“We want to provide fantastic opportunities for all our children and young people during the holidays regardless of circumstance, and this funding is for those planning to deliver a high quality and exciting programme of holiday activity over the summer.”

Applications are invited from a wide range of providers of holiday programmes and/or enrichment activities from across the county. They can include partnership bids between venues, activity and food providers, proposals for enrichment activities that can be delivered as a one off and/or toured, and applications that combine the council grant with other funding to enhance the offer.

The activities can also be available to any child or young person not eligible for free school meals, who can pay to attend.

The deadline to apply for the grant is 1 June 2021. To find out more and apply for a grant go to www.shropshire.gov.uk/HAF

For more information please email haf.programme@shropshire.gov.uk