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 2,000 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 in Reception to Year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals. Check if your child can get free school meals. 

The programme provides children with delicious, healthy meals, and it encourages them to get active, learn new things, make friends and have fun. 

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 

  1. Blackpool Sports Centre
  2. Palatine Leisure Centre 

Blackpool Football Club Community Trust

  1. Anchorsholme Academy 
  2. Armfield Academy 
  3. Aspire Academy 
  4. AVR Dance 
  5. Blackpool FC Community Trust Bloomfield Road 
  6. Claremont Park & Childrens Centre
  7. Highfield Leadership Academy 
  8. Montgomery Academy 
  9. Moor Park Leisure Centre 
  10. Park Community Academy 
  11. Revoe Learning Academy 
  12. Roseacre Primary Academy 
  13. South Shore Academy 
  14. Stanley Park 
  15. Stanley Primary Academy 
  16. Unity Academy 
  17. Waterloo Primary Academy 
  18. Westminster Primary Academy

  Boathouse Youth

  1. Blackpool Gateway Academy
  2. Boundary Primary School
  3. Christ The King Catholic Academy
  4. Grange Park Youth Centre
  5. Layton Primary School
  6. The Boathouse Youth Bloomfield
  7. Thames Primary Academy
  8. Whiteholme Youth Centre

EPSCIC (Boys & Girls Club)

  1. Talbot and Brunswick
  2. Mereside

1. House of Wingz / Skool of Street

2. Magic Club

3. @thegrange

4. Rosscon Training Limited

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 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

 

 

Take a look at our popular Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme #BlackpoolHAF.




Programme Eligilibilty
The HAF programme is for children in Reception to Year 11 who recieve benefit-related free school meals. Children from all backgrounds are welcome to attend. If your child does not meet the criteria for free school meal funding, there may be a charge for attending. Please contact the organisation running the holiday club to discuss further. Attendance to these holiday clubs is not compulsory. Local authorities are asked to ensure that the offer of free holiday club provision is available for all children eligible for and in receipt of free school meals in their area. This does not mean they are all required to attend as this is voluntary.
Funding

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.

Provision for children with SEND
Many activities will be inclusive and able to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Please contact our providers directly for more information.
Food standards for a holiday club
Holiday clubs must provide at least one meal a day (breakfast, lunch or tea) and all food provided (including snacks) must meet school food standards. Meals can be hot or cold. Further information can be found on the Food Standard Agency website.
COVID security
COVID risk assessments for all HAF activities have been completed and quality assured. These will continue to be updated as national and local government guidance changes. We also have contingency plans in place to deliver activities through alternative venues or formats in the unlikely event that they cannot operate safely.
Providers wishing to express an interest
Applications are currently closed but we’d love to hear from organisations that would like to offer activities or food in future holidays. For more information, please email publichealth@blackpool.gov.uk