Holiday Activities and Food annual report 2025
HAF programme overview
The Department for Education allocated £808,730 to Gateshead in 2025 to deliver the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays. The programme supports children eligible for benefits-related free school meals (FSM), as well as other vulnerable children across the borough.
Our holiday clubs provide a comprehensive offer that includes:
- Healthy meals
- Enriching activities, offering fun opportunities to develop skills and knowledge
- Physical activities that meet recommended guidelines
- Nutritional education, helping children understand healthy eating and how to source, prepare and cook nutritious, low-cost meals
- Signposting and referrals to wider services and support
As of April 2026, there were 7,875 children eligible for free school meals in Gateshead, living across 5,053 households. The programme also aims to support additional families who may be struggling financially but do not access FSM benefits.
A HAF steering group meets termly to plan and coordinate the Brighten the Day programme. The group includes representatives from Public Health, Children's Services, the Poverty Team, Localities Team, Leisure Team, Gateshead Youth Council, Libraries Team, Communications Team and the Digital Team.
We continue to work closely with schools across Gateshead to expand the reach of the HAF programme. In 2025, we increased engagement with schools, particularly secondary schools and academies. More recently, we have introduced an e-voucher booking system via HolidayActivities.com. This platform helps ensure that we are reaching as many FSM-eligible children as possible.
