Holiday activities and food (HAF)
The Blackpool Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) is funded by the government and provides healthy food and activities for children who receive free school meals.
We work with local providers to provide a wide range of activities, health and nutrition information, and free healthy meals each day to children and young people.
Department for Education (DFE) funding covers the HAF Programme for the Easter, Christmas and summer holidays, when funding permits Blackpool Council will endeavor to fund the remaining school holidays to support the overwhelming need in the town.
Partners
We are working with local schools, voluntary and community organisations to deliver the HAF programme to eligible pupils across Blackpool.
This summer we supported more than 1,400 eligible children and offered families a safe environment to be active, educated and entertained through enrichment activities as well as providing healthy meals.
The video below celebrates the great work of Blackpool Council and its partners in delivering the HAF project and highlights the successful partnership working and commitment to supporting our children.
Details
Places on the holiday schemes are available free of charge to children aged 4 – 16 who receive benefits-related free school meals. Check if your child can get free school meals.Â
The programme provides children with delicious, healthy meals, and it encourage them to get active, learn new things, make friends and have fun.Â
All bookings are being made directly with the organisations running the holiday clubs. If you aren’t sure if you are eligible, please speak to your child’s school.
Get involved
We want to regularly engage with a wide network of community-based organisations from across the town. These include existing holiday care providers, schools, sports, music groups and creative providers and any others who would like to take part.
We would like to hear from providers who can deliver within one or more areas of Blackpool. Providers who would be willing to expand their provision to meet the needs of a wider group of children and families within the town would also be welcome. We would be delighted to discuss ideas providers might have. Watch one of our fabulous HAF providers & their young people here.
Our Providers
Active Blackpool
- Blackpool Sports Centre
- Palatine Leisure CentreÂ
Blackpool Football Club Community Trust
- Armfield Academy
- Aspire Sports Hub
- Blackpool FC Community Trust Bloomfield Road
- Claremont Park
- Layton Primary School
- Moor Park Primary School
- Revoe Learning Academy
- St John Vianney’s Catholic Primary School
- Unity Academy
- Westminster Primary Academy
- Waterloo Primary Academy
Boathouse Youth
- Grange Park Youth Centre
- Boundary Primary School
- St Mary’s Catholic Academy
- Christ The King Catholic Academy
- Blackpool Gateway Academy
- The Boathouse Youth Bloomfield
- Thames Primary Academy
EPSCIC (Boys & Girls Club)
- Talbot and Brunswick
- Mereside
1. House of Wingz / Skool of Street
2. Magic Club
3. @thegrange
4. Park Rangers
5. Blackpool Carers Centre
Find out more
If you’d like to know more about the HAF programme, please email publichealth@blackpool.gov.uk, visit the DfE’s Holiday Activities and Food programme webpage or search #BlackpoolHAF and #HAF2024 on X (Twitter).
If you need advice on eating better, visit the Healthier Families page on the NHS website.
If you would like to register your business for the HAF programme, visit The Chest: North West Procurement Portal or contact publichealth@blackpool.gov.uk for further information.
Latest News
Why not try Blackpool Council's Summer Walking Challenge? For tips and suggested routes, follow the link below:
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Take a look at our popular Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme #BlackpoolHAF.
The holiday activities and food programme (HAF) is being funded by the Department for Education. The aim of the programme is to make free holiday places available to children receiving benefits-related free school meals for the equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week and for six weeks a year.
The Department for Education (DfE) funding covers the HAF Programme for the Easter, Christmas and summer holidays, , when funding permits Blackpool Council will endeavour to fund the remaining school holidays to support the overwhelming need in the town.