Free summer holiday activities and meal for eligible children
Darlington Borough Council is delighted to announce an exciting timetable of free activities and nutritious meals for eligible children in Darlington during the five weeks of the summer holiday!
The council, through its Council Plan, is working hard to tackle child poverty in Darlington. The Holiday and Food (HAF) program is a comprehensive approach to addressing child poverty by providing crucial support to low-income families during the school holidays.
The (HAF) programme, which is funded by the Department for Education (DfE), has been running since 2021 and the council is delighted to confirm yet another exciting summer for those children in Darlington who are eligible for benefit-related free school meals to access during the summer holiday.
There are over 150 events arranged throughout the school summer holiday with over 5,000 places available, every weekday starting Monday 21 July up until Friday 22 August.
The activities, which all include a nutritious meal for every participant at each event, will take place at various locations across the town. Families with eligible children should have received details from their child’s school detailing the programmes available and how to access the booking system.
Activities include:
- Cookery sessions at the Pasta Shop and Age UK
- 4Motion – BMX and skateboarding sessions
- Secondary bowling sessions at DC Bowl and Sim King Gaming
- Singing and music sessions at The Forum
- Sessions at the YMCA
- Learning to ride a bike
- Forest school week
- Day trips to Beamish and Kirkleatham Owl Centre
- Physical activity sessions including American football, dance, Let’s Circus, martial arts and more
- Creative activity sessions including drama, singing, arts and crafts and more.
Children and Young People with additional needs are encouraged to attend the programme and there are specific SEND sessions available at Eastbourne Sports Complex and DC Bowl.
Please note to be eligible you need to be in receipt of benefit-related free school meals. All those eligible families should have received a letter from their school - if you have a child who receives benefit-related school meals and haven’t yet received a letter from your child’s school please contact your school directly.
Councillor Nick Wallis, the council’s cabinet member for children and young people said: “We are delighted to work to continue our support to families providing free, organised, fun, enriching activities for children who receive benefit-related school meals. Being able to provide free fun activities, such as basketball, martial arts, American football and dance, as well as enrichment activities, including arts and crafts, first aid and life skills sessions is fantastic with a range of secondary age activities available on an afternoon including bowling, cluedini escape room, 4motion skatepark and sessions at the YMCA.
“Every eligible child aged 5-16 years, living in Darlington and the surrounding villages, can attend the sessions – families who qualify should have already been contacted by your child’s school. If you haven’t, contact your school directly.
“We hope the activities and nutritious meals will help support families this summer and that the children love the opportunity to try new things, discover new interests and meet new friends.”
Please note activity session places are limited. If you book a session, then cannot attend, please cancel to allow someone else to attend.
All eligible children should have received a unique code from their school. If your child hasn’t and is eligible for free school meals, please contact your school directly.
For more information regarding the programme, please contact the move more team on 405400 or email [email protected].