Southend-on-Sea City Council is reaching out to charities, schools, and local businesses to offer fun and educational holiday sessions for children and young people in the area.
These activities are part of the Holiday, Activities and Food programme (HAF), which is funded by the Department of Education for the upcoming year.
We are inviting local organisations to help design and deliver these valuable programmes. They will include a variety of exciting activities and also provide healthy meals. This initiative is especially aimed at children from reception to year 11 who benefit from free school meals.
Councillor Helen Boyd, cabinet member for children's services, education and learning, emphasised the importance of this programme: “School holidays can be a challenging time for many families. This programme is our chance to offer extra support. We are calling on local groups to help us provide fun, active, and educational activities along with nutritious meals during the school breaks.”
The HAF programme is scheduled to run for four hours a day, four days a week, covering four weeks in the summer, and four days each at Christmas and Easter.
We are particularly keen to expand our offerings for secondary school students and those with complex needs. Local businesses, schools, and charities can participate in various ways, including session delivery or venue provision.
Interested parties are invited to a drop-in session at the Civic Centre on 16 January 2024, from 1-3 pm. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the HAF Coordinator, ask questions, and get more information from our Procurement Advisor.
Applications are now open until 6 February 2024. To apply or for more details, visit the procurement portal and use reference DN610396.