Thousands of children and young people in Manchester will be able to take part in a programme of holiday activities over the upcoming Easter holidays targeted at those who receive free school meals.
Activities will be available across the city in schools, youth centres, adventure playgrounds and parks, with eligible children and young people invited through their schools or youth providers to take part.
A wide range of activities will be on offer – from sports and adventure play, to the arts and well-being activities – with each session including a ready supply of healthy snacks to keep energy levels up and help make sure no-one is going hungry whilst schools are closed for the holidays.
It’s hoped the holiday activity programme will help improve children’s health and well-being and give them some much needed fun stuff to do during the school holidays, whilst also helping families deal with the very real cost-of-living pressures they are facing.
In Manchester more than 34,000 or around 42 per cent of all children and young people in the city’s schools receive benefits related free school meals – which for many represent a life-line for them.
The city council has also therefore agreed that it will be funding free lunches through the Easter holidays for all children and young people in the city who are eligible for benefits’ related free school meals, to ensure they don’t go hungry during their break from school.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Executive Member for Early Years, Children, and Young People, Manchester City Council, said:
“We know how hard our families are finding things right now and we’re determined to make sure that children and young people have fun and free things to do near to where they live. “
This Easter there will be activities in every part of the city which are free to take part in and where young people will get a free nutritious meal or snacks.
“As a Council we’re fully committed to our children and young people – we’re working to make our city a Child Friendly City and have invested an extra half a million pounds into youth and play services this year. “
The holiday activity scheme has been funded by the Department for Education through its national Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) scheme but here in Manchester we have gone above and beyond the government’s programme to fund holiday activities through half terms as well as end of term holidays.”
Parents whose children receive benefits related free school meals will be invited by their school to take part in the activity scheme and will then need to pre-book their child onto their chosen activity sessions.
