Holiday Activities and Food annual report 2025

DfE funding allocation of £808,730 for 2025 in Gateshead to fund Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) over the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays for benefits-related free school meal (FSM) recipients and vulnerable children.

The holiday clubs in Gateshead were delivered in 65 venues: 14 community organisations, 21 schools (including 4 secondary and 1 SEND-specific schools), 12 sports venues, 3 Arts and Theatre Groups, 4 Pop Ups, 4 Family Hubs, 3 Jewish young people's support groups, 2 refugee and asylum groups and 2 church organisations.

21,336 places were delivered across the three programmes - Easter, Summer and Christmas.

In 2025, HAF funded over 100 educational/cultural/enriching visits for families including:

• a day at the beach
• a day in the woods
• ice skating
• museum visits
• cinema
• pantomime 
• art galleries
• ten pin bowling
• cooking

The programme was very popular and was well received by children and young people and their parents and carers. 

Case Study: HAF Plus and Age UK - Garden Mural

Working with Creative Youth Opportunities CIC, some of our HAF Plus 2025 cohort spent several sunny days at Age UK Gateshead's Dementia Wellbeing Centre, designing and painting a magnificent mural, capturing all of the iconic landmarks in Gateshead and the North East. The teenagers consulted with Age UK and Creative Youth Opportunities CIC to put together a bespoke design. 

"Welcome to Age UK Gateshead's Dementia Wellbeing Centre, where we believe that every day is a chance for joy, connection, and cherished memories! Our hub is a vibrant, welcoming space designed to bring smiles and laughter to all who join us."

The activities:

This was supplemented with some online cookalongs and some sexual health advice which could be accessed via the resources side of the app.

The food offer was managed through perks held in and spent via the app.

The choices were:

• Grounded Kitchen - smoothie and poke bowl (choice of 4 protein options)
• Subway - sandwich, fruit juice or water and fruit leather
• Greggs - restricted to school food standards items as determined by the Northumbria University nutritional review

Northumbria University conducted a detailed review of the programme by speaking to providers, HAF co-ordinators and young people (opens new window).

The popularity of each activity was then used to guide which sessions to offer at Christmas 2025, Easter 2026 and Summer 2026.