Enjoy free family activities this winter holiday
Families who are eligible for income-related free school meals can register now for the winter Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) funded by the Department for Education.
The HAF programme will run for four days from 2 January to 5 January 2024.
There will be lots of great options to choose from including festive parties, drama and science workshops, sports and games, art and crafts, as well as the ever-popular ticketed attractions. More information about the programme is available at: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/haf.
HAF is growing in popularity each year, and this means that some activities can get booked up quickly when the booking window opens. This winter, to give families time to browse activities and help them decide in advance which sessions they would like to attend, all activities on offer in January will be available to view for one week from 12pm on Monday 27 November.
Activity booking will open at midday on Monday 4 December.
Families are encouraged to:
· Register for the Children’s Activities Booking System (CABS) now to make sure they are ready to view activities available in their district, and to select their choices when booking opens on 4 December.
· Follow their district lead on social media to see what is happening in their area.
Families who require additional support to choose, book or attend HAF activities, can receive support from six HAF Community Connectors, one for each district of Gloucestershire. Find out more about Community Connectors.
Families eligible for pupil premium (income-related) free school meals can apply for Holiday Free School Meal vouchers, which the council is providing for 1 week. Parents will receive £15 per eligible child from reception to year 11. Applications will open at midday on 28 November and will close at midday on 12 December. Vouchers will be distributed from Monday 18 December. Families will be able to find out more at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/holiday-school-meal-vouchers/
Parents who have registered previously are automatically included and do not need to reapply. Families whose circumstances may have changed, can find out about eligibility for free school meals on our website, and should contact childrensfund@gloucestershire.gov.uk to inform the team of any changes.
Anyone who needs additional support over the winter can apply to the Household Support Fund which supports households in the most need with food, energy and water bills and other essential items. The council’s Support Hub also includes links to helpful information and advice including tools to help save money, and look after health and wellbeing.
Cllr Stephen Davies, cabinet member for children’s safeguarding and early years at Gloucestershire County Council said: “The Holiday Activities and Food programme continues to make a positive impact on families across the county, supporting children and young people to build confidence, make new friends, try new foods, and learn new skills.
“Since 2021, working together with our partners, we have provided over 75,000 activity sessions for families to enjoy. Activities can get booked up quickly and I would encourage eligible families to register now, so they are ready when the browsing and booking windows open.”