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Support for families during the school holidays set to continue

Published
At its meeting on Wednesday 3 December, Gloucestershire County Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve plans that will secure funding for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for another three years, from April 2026 to March 2029.
Smiling child holds a goose with other children nearby

The HAF programme provides holiday activities and healthy meals for children and young people who are eligible for income-related free school meals. It also offers support for families, including advice on food, health, and wellbeing.

Since 2018 this wide-ranging programme has provided families with six weeks of high quality, fun, enriching activities, and nutritious food for one week during spring, four weeks over summer and one week in the winter school holidays.

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that Gloucestershire will receive funding to deliver the programme until 2029. This will allow the council to:

  • Continue offering enriching activities and nutritious meals during school holidays
  • Support children and young people across all districts, including those with special educational needs and disabilities
  • Provide families with access to local advice and support services, helping them with food, nutritional education, physical activity, health, and wellbeing and more.

Gloucestershire’s successful HAF programme provides essential services to our county’s vulnerable children and families and its achievements have been nationally recognised by DfE. The funding will allow the council to build on this success.

Last summer alone, over 10,000 children took part in HAF sessions across Gloucestershire, enjoying more than 24,000 activity sessions and meals. The programme has continued to grow stronger year on year, reaching 67 per cent of eligible children in 2024.

Cllr Ben Evans, cabinet member for children’s safeguarding and care at Gloucestershire County Council said: “The HAF programme is a lifeline for many families. It gives children the chance to enjoy fun, healthy activities during the school holidays and ensures they have access to nutritious meals.

“I am delighted that this funding will allow us to continue this amazing programme which means we can keep supporting thousands of children and young people and making Gloucestershire a great place to grow up.”

More information about the Holiday Activities and Food programme is available at www.familyhubs.gloucestershire.gov.uk/haf

The funding award amount is not yet confirmed but is expected to be received in December.

Read the full cabinet report.

WATCH a video from one of our summer 2025 events and see what families love about HAF👇