Fun, Frolics and Memories Made Thanks to HAF Funding
With school back in full swing, and the Summer holidays a distant memory, we are currently in the throes of measuring the impact of our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) provision. And by ‘impact’, we mean the sheer amount of fun, frolics and memories made this Summer by children from low-income families in the North East.
A few budding zookeepers in the making!
With school back in full swing, and the Summer holidays a distant memory, we are currently in the throes of measuring the impact of our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) provision. And by ‘impact’, we mean the sheer amount of fun, frolics and memories made this Summer by children from low-income families in the North East.
Six weeks of no school support fills many parents with trepidation. The pressure of finding extra cash for food, childcare and activities for six weeks is immense. So, we were thrilled when Comic Relief and Sainsbury's offered additional financial support for the Summer holidays as part of their Nourish the Nation programme.
As a result, we were able to enhance HAF programmes with an extra 2,300 spaces for not only eligible children but also those low-income working families who don’t qualify for free spots and really struggle over Summer.
We teamed up with local authority partners Darlington Borough Council, Durham County Council, North Tyneside Council and Sunderland City Council to build action-packed schedules designed to entertain, educate, feed and wear the kids out. There were trips to the zoo, surf lessons, skateboarding sessions, nonstop arts and crafts, circus skills and all manner of sports. Here's just a few of the heart-warming quotes received from some very happy parents:
“We had such a brilliant day! You guys are amazing for organising this!! We would never normally be eligible for these programmes but thanks to the non-eligible criteria we are and it's made a huge difference to our summer - Izzy has enjoyed every single activity and she's made some lovely friends too! Thanks everyone! You created something very special.”
“A huge thank you... we had the chance to come along last year but insecurities got the better of us, coming along this year has been so rewarding for Taylor's confidence and he's made some lovely new friends, having the non eligible' criteria on these, gave us the chance to come along and be apart of something special! Hopefully we'll be back on the next sessions ... fabulous provision and inclusive for all ... we have loved it”
Bread and Butter’s Chief Operating Officer, Vic Harper said; “Summer is the time for having fun with friends and family, but so many families can’t afford to do this. We believe this is a right, not a privilege. So, it’s been an absolute pleasure to enhance the HAF activity in the North East and create extra spaces for kids who wouldn’t normally get a look in.”