Activity programme returns for the Winter school holiday
Young Westminster Foundation and the council are running their Healthy Schools Holiday Programme this Winter to keep our young people happy and healthy and alleviate financial pressures that families may feel during school holidays.
Youngsters across Westminster can enjoy a variety of activities across sports, arts and culture, skills and training with clubs tailored to different age groups and interests, ensuring there is something for everyone.
The activities are free for children eligible for free school meals and available at a low-cost for all other families.
Activities take place between 23 December and 3 January and include sports and crafts at the Happy Hub; the Winter Puppet Club at the Floating Classroom; sessions at North Paddington Youth Club and much more.
The programme is funded by the Department for Education with additional support from the council to provide support for children and young people aged 4 to 16 during the school holidays.
The Winter programme builds on the fantastic results seen over the previous holidays. For example, this summer the programme supported 3,327 children and young people, 23% of which had SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) and 4% being refugees or asylum seekers.
The young people were supported by 47 organisations, who received funding to deliver a variety of activities, with an incredible average attendance of 10.7 sessions per participant.
Helen Mann, CEO of Young Westminster Foundation said:
At Young Westminster Foundation, we are delighted to see that this year the offer of activities in Westminster for children and young people is broader than ever ! From trips to the theatre, arts and craft sessions, football, dance, and boxing, there is something happening for everyone across the borough, ensuring that children and young people can continue to have fun during the Christmas holiday period. For parents and carers, this offers an opportunity to ensure that children are not only well looked after but they are warm and receive a hot meal during one of the coldest parts of the year when finances are often stretched.
We’ve had amazing feedback from children, parents, carers and providers who love being part of HAF. A young person said “It’s better than staying at home and doing nothing for the whole day than going outside, talking to people, making new friendships and eating good food”.
