Stuart Anderson MP says new government must continue support for half term clubs
Stuart Anderson MP has urged the new government to continue a scheme that has provided healthy food and enriching activities for 680,000 children from low-income backgrounds during the school holidays - including over 460,000 children eligible for free school meals. It follows a visit to one of the clubs in his constituency, at St Lawrence Primary School in Church Stretton. Under the previous government, more than £200 million of funding per year was provided to local authorities for the Half-Term Activities Fund (HAF). This has provided 11.3 million days of activities to children and young people in this country.
Since 2021, Shropshire has been allocated £2 million for the scheme. It has benefited thousands of children from low-income families, with over 7,000 children and young people eligible this summer. On his visit to the holiday club in Church Stretton, Stuart met children benefitting from the programme and thanked the staff running it. He has launched a campaign for the scheme to be continued under the new government, as research has shown school holidays can be particular pressure points for some families because of increased costs. For some children, this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from disadvantaged families less likely to access organised out-of-school activities.
Since the scheme was launched by the last government three years ago, Shropshire Council has been successfully working with partners across the county to deliver the holiday clubs. Demand for places on the programme has been rapidly growing as more children have become eligible for benefits related free school meals due to more families facing increased financial challenges. Stuart has said that the scheme must be continued by the new government.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“It was excellent to visit the free holiday club at St Lawrence Primary School in Church Stretton. Since 2021, the last government had provided funding for every local authority to deliver highly impactful school holiday provision like this - providing hundreds of thousands of children from low income families with heathy meals and enriching activities. The service remains a vital part of our support for local communities in South Shropshire. It was fantastic to hear about the huge benefits of the Shropshire programme and how it positively benefits their heath, wellbeing and learning. So, I am calling on the government to continue this valuable scheme in the future.”
The Half-Term Activities Fund (HAF) provides eligible children and young people free access to holiday activity during the three main school holidays. The programme is aimed primarily at children and young people aged 4 to 16, in receipt of benefits related free school meals (FSM). Children meeting wider eligibility criteria can also access the programme. For more information about Shropshire HAF, please visit https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-haf/haf-holiday-clubs/.
