Free activities and meals for children as holiday scheme returns for 2024
Published: 15 March 2024
There are 31 different providers offering all kinds of activities for young people
A holiday club scheme that offers thousands of free places to the city’s children returns this Easter. Derby City Council is working in partnership with Community Action Derby to bring back the Derby Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) for the next school break.
The HAF programme offers activities and food to children aged four to 16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals in Derby. Youngsters can learn new skills while socialising and having fun with their friends. They will also be provided with a healthy meal and given the opportunity to learn about healthy food and nutrition through food experiences and cookery sessions.
The clubs offer the chance to try new and enriching activities including music production, drama and science experiments as well as sports and physical activities like football, rugby, basketball and street dance.
The HAF scheme supported an amazing 2,276 Derby children last Easter. This year there will be 31 providers offering a range of activities in 38 venues across all wards across the city, including five special educational needs and disability (SEND) specialists.
Among them will be seven new providers: Derby Museums, Elevation X, Mr G Holiday Clubs, Superstar Sports Midlands, EFD Sport and Education, Derby West Indian Community Association (DWICA) and SEN-Fit.
They will provide some of the programme’s highlights, which will include Easter Creations and Contraptions at Derby Museum of Making. Taking inspiration from the museum’s collection, young people aged between 11 and 16 will create their own interpretation of modern Derby and celebrate spaces and places for young people. They will help create the What If? Machine – a celebration of making, creating, designing and building.
Elevation X will hold a BMX and Multi Activity Camp for children aged from eight to 15 at Lakeside Primary Academy and Derby BMX track. Youngsters will get the chance to learn skills on the BMX track, delivered by BMX professionals, as well as taking part in other fun activities.
One of the scheme’s specialist SEND providers, SEN-Fit, will hold SENDay sessions for children aged between eight and 15. Experienced staff will support children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and learning disabilities for new sessions focussing on fitness. Children can take part in circuits sessions, games and sports, as well as crafts and puzzles, while learning about healthy meals, general wellbeing and social skills.
Councillor John Whitby, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Learning and Skills, said:
Derby HAF offers a fantastic selection of activities for children and young people, all with a healthy meal included. It's a chance to explore new skills, build confidence, and stay active during the school break.
We’re delighted to welcome seven new providers this Easter to further widen what’s on offer, which importantly includes a range of sessions for children and young people with SEND.
To book your child’s place, you will need their HAF code. All children in receipt of free school meals should have received their own unique code directly from their school. If you have not received a code, contact your child’s school. The same code can be used to book onto the HAF programme for the rest of the year.
For more information on the HAF programme, including details of all the providers, visit the Derby City Council website.