This week we are celebrating the completion of another successful Holiday Kid’s Club aboard The Food Bus. Last May half-term, our Food Bus hosted a pot planting workshop in conjunction with The Mayor's Fund and Pot Gang, which included everything needed to plant vegetables like spinach, basil, and bean sprouts.
We also ran our Rainbow Veggie Summer Roll making workshop and teamed up with Oasis Adventure Playground to get heart rates going and provide kids with the chance to have a go on the zip wire, pedal karts, swings, play football, and more.
The Importance of HAF Funding
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, established in 2018, provides crucial support to low-income families over the school holidays.
Currently, the future of HAF funding hangs in the balance, causing groups like School Food Matters and others to campaign for its continuation. Despite its success, the uncertainty of HAF funding makes it more important than ever to highlight the significance of school holiday provisions.
The potential end of HAF funding would leave a significant gap in support for low-income families, exacerbating issues such as lack of access to holiday provisions, nutritional inequality, and social isolation within communities.
“Research has shown that school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children, this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being:
· Less likely to access organised out-of-school activities
· More likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health
· More likely to experience social isolation” (Source)
The HAF programme was created in response to these challenges, funding free holiday clubs that provide consistent and accessible activities for all, nutritious meals, and opportunities for community cohesion through food, education and play.
More than Food
Consistent HAF funding means holiday provisions can have a regular and long-lasting effect, fostering a sense of community, helping children build relationships, improve their social skills, provide a nutritional education and guarantee healthy meals for those on free school meals.
During the school term, many children rely on free school meals as their primary source of nutrition. The HAF programme ensures that children have access to healthy and nutritious meals even when school is not in session.
With the addition of cooking workshops, we not only ensure that families are eating healthily but also educate them about nutrition and healthy eating habits. By learning how to prepare nutritious meals, families can continue to make healthy choices at home.
Community Collaboration
The success of the HAF programme is heavily reliant on local partnerships and community involvement. Schools, local businesses, and community organisations work together to deliver these programmes, pooling resources and expertise to provide comprehensive support for families.
Recently one of our parents shared her experience:
"I thought that the idea of the food bus was exceptional, but when I discovered that they also do children’s activities during school half terms, I could not believe it. As a mum of three, I am always trying to find nice activities to do with my children during the school holidays, so it is the perfect place for us.”
Another parent echoed these sentiments: "A friend of mine had introduced me to this new project of the food bus. My first attendance with my child was amazing!”
On the importance of HAF, our Food Bus Manager, Simon, said:
"It's great for kids to have a fun day out with their parents and get to learn some new skills on our Food Bus. HAF is important for children to be mentally and physically stimulated during the half-term holidays, and they get a healthy meal provided for them too."
Food Bus Project Assistant, Riana, adds: "My favourite thing is seeing the kids having fun and getting to try new food during the food workshops. HAF offers children a range of stimulating activities and local families get to connect with each other."
Tailored to Community Needs
As we know, smaller, grassroots organisations and community groups/initiatives are often best placed to understand and address the unique challenges faced by their communities. HAF funding to these specific groups means holiday programmes can have maximum impact, thus ensuring children from a diverse range of backgrounds and socio-economic circumstances, have access to holiday support.
The future of HAF remains unclear. As a result, we feel it's imperative to recognise and support the vital role school holiday programmes play in our communities. Without continued funding, many families will face increased challenges outside of term time and must be supported, to ensure that all children can thrive, both during the school term and the holidays.
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